10 Essential Digital Resources For The Home Business On A Budget

INTRODUCTION

You need specific tools to thrive as a home business owner, so we've gathered these ten digital resources for you. With this office kit, you'll be able to get the job done without going over your budget.

All items listed, except the docking station and external hard drive, are resources I use in my home business. If I were using a laptop as my primary office computer, I would use the docking station to connect to a desktop monitor and possibly other peripherals.

In place of an external hard drive, I use Google Drive as an online file storage and sync app. For more information on backup options, read my blog, "5 Recommended Cloud Storage Services For The Small Business."

You may ask whether to use a desktop or laptop computer or both. Or maybe an all-in-one computer would be best? To help with these questions, read my blog, "Finding the Right Computer for Your Home Business."

Please use the comment section at the bottom or our contact form if you have questions or suggestions.

(We independently select these products — if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.)

1. HP 17.3" FHD Laptop

The HP 17.3" FHD Laptop is perfect for budget-conscious shoppers who don't want to sacrifice quality or features. It boasts an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U 4.0GHz processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. And if that wasn't enough, the HP 720p HD Camera with integrated dual array digital microphone ensures high-resolution video calls whether you're working from home or on the go.

Technical Details

Standing screen display size‎17.3 InchesMax Screen Resolution‎1920 x 1080 PixelsProcessor‎2.1 GHz amd_ryzen_5_5500uProcessor Count‎4RAM‎8 GB DDR4Hard Drive‎256 GB SSDGraphics Coprocessor‎AMD Radeon™ graphicsAverage Battery Life (in hours)‎8 HoursOperating System‎Windows 10 Home

2. HP Pavilion TP01 Business Desktop

The HP Pavilion TP01 Business Desktop Intel i3-10100 3.60GHz Processor is an excellent desktop computer for businesses and professionals who need a dependable machine that won't break the bank. It has 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB PCIe SSD drive, making it perfect for those who need something that can handle heavy use without issue. With 4 USB 3.1 Gen1 ports, 4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 HDMI port, a USB 3, 1 Type-C Geni port, SDXF Reader, and 1 x Headphone/ Microphone Combo Jack, this desktop has all the essentials. Additionally, it comes preloaded with Windows 11 Home 64 edition.

Technical Details

Processor‎3.6 GHz core_i3RAM‎8 GB DIMMHard Drive‎256 GB Solid State Hard DriveGraphics Coprocessor‎Intel UHD Graphics 630Processor Count‎4Number of USB 2.0 Ports‎4Number of USB 3.0 Ports‎4Series‎Pavilion TP01Operating System‎Windows 11 HomeCheck At Amazon

3. HP All-in-One PC Desk Computer

The HP All-in-One PC Desk Computer is perfect for anyone seeking an affordable and powerful all-in-one desk computer. Its specs include a 2.6 GHz amd_ryzen_3_2300x processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, and a 256 GB SSD hard drive. In addition, the AMD-integrated graphics allow for smooth gameplay or video streaming experiences. Lastly, its 4 USB 2.0 and 2 USB 3.0 ports make it simple to connect all necessary peripherals and devices."

Technical Details

Series‎HP All-in-One 22-dd0032Standing screen display size‎22 InchesOperating System‎Windows 11 HomeProcessor‎2.6 GHz amd_ryzen_3_2300xRAM‎8GB DDR4Hard Drive‎8 GB SSDChipset Brand‎AMDCard Description‎IntegratedGraphics Card Ram Size‎8 GBNumber of USB 2.0 Ports‎4Number of USB 3.0 Ports‎2

4. Sceptre E248W-19203R 24" Ultra Thin 75Hz 1080p LED Monitor

Sceptre 24" Professional Thin 75Hz 1080p LED Monitor is an excellent choice if you're budget-conscious but still want a high-quality LED monitor. With its thin bezel design, it's perfect for both home and office use. Plus, the Full HD resolution delivers crystal clear images, while the 75Hz refresh rate ensures smooth gaming action. And since it has built-in speakers, you don't need to buy separate ones!

Technical Details

Standing screen display size‎24 InchesSeries‎E248W-19203RScreen Resolution‎1920x1080Max Screen Resolution‎1920 x 1080 PixelsColor‎Machine BlackProduct Dimensions‎21.59 x 7.02 x 15.83 inchesCheck at Amazon

5. HP ENVY 6055e All-in-One Wireless Color Printer/ Scanner

The HP ENVY 6055e All-in-One Wireless Color Printer has what you need for your home office at a reasonable price. With auto 2-sided printing, you can save time and paper, while borderless printing gives you professional-looking results every time. Plus, the self-healing Wi-Fi ensures that you always stay connected, even if there's a hiccup with your internet connection. And with an input/output capacity of 100 sheets/25 sheets, you'll easily handle even the most significant print jobs.

Technical Details

ManufacturerHP PrintersProduct Dimensions14.21 x 17.03 x 5.2 inchesItem model numberENVY 6055eCustomer Reviews4.1 out of 5 starsCheck at Amazon

6. Plugable USB 3.0 Universal Laptop Docking Station

The Plugable USB 3.0 Universal Laptop Docking Station makes connecting multiple devices to your laptop easy. With four USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 ports, you'll have plenty of options for connecting external devices - perfect for an expanding work setup from home or a busy office desk on the go! Plus, the black color looks great with any laptop, so you can keep that polished look no matter where you work.

Technical Details

Brand‎PlugableItem model number‎UD-3900Number of USB 2.0 Ports‎4Number of USB 3.0 Ports‎2Color‎BlackPower Source‎DCCheck at Amazon

7. Logitech M720 Triathlon Multi-Device Wireless Mouse

The Logitech M720 Triathlon mouse is the perfect device for those who use multiple computers or devices regularly. Its easy-switch feature allows you to toggle between three different devices with a simple push of a button, and its contoured shape and textured rubber grips make it comfortable to use for long periods. Furthermore, it features an advanced optical tracking sensor for precise control on almost any surface, and dual connectivity that allows you to connect wirelessly via Bluetooth or the included Logitech Unifying Receiver. The mouse also provides side buttons and a scroll wheel for easy navigation, and it is available in black.

Technical Details

Brand‎LogitechSeries‎M720 TriathlonItem model number‎910-006036Average Battery Life (in hours)‎24 monthsOperating System‎Windows 10, 11 or later, Linux +no software support legal footnote, Chrome OS, macOS 10.5 or later, iPadOS 13.4 or later, Android 5.0 or laterCheck at Amazon

8. Arteck 2.4G Wireless Keyboard Stainless Steel Ultra Slim Full Size Keyboard

The Arteck 2.4G Wireless Keyboard is perfect for anyone who wants a straightforward, dependable wireless keyboard. This no-frills keyboard is ideal for those looking to declutter their desk or prefer being unencumbered by a wired connection. The robust and reliable 2.4GHz wireless connection of the Arteck guarantees uninterrupted typing sessions. The Arteck's slender and smooth design is perfect for those constantly moving or with limited space, and it can easily withstand regular wear and tear. Plus, with its quiet keys and detachable USB receiver, the Arteck provides users with a hassle-free typing experience.

Technical Details

Product Dimensions16.85 x 4.92 x 0.55 inchesItem Weight14.9 ouncesItem model numberHW192Batteries1 CR2032 batteries required. (included)Check at Amazon

9. Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive HDD

You are introducing the Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive HDD. This external hard drive is perfect for storing your essential files and documents. With 1 TB of storage space, you'll have plenty of room for everything you need. The Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive HDD is easy to use and compatible with Windows and Mac computers. Plus, it comes in a sleek black color that will look great with any setup. Order your Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive HDD today!

Technical Details

Hard Drive‎1 TB PortableBrand‎SeagateSeries‎STGX1000400Item model number‎STGX1000400Operating System‎Windows®10, Windows 8, Windows 8Color‎BlackHard Drive Interface‎USB 3.0Check at Amazon

10. Logitech C270 HD Webcam

Looking for an affordable and easy-to-use webcam? Check out the Logitech C270 HD Webcam! With a wide field of view and crystal clear HD 720p video, it's perfect for Skype calls, webinars, and even recording videos. Plus, the built-in microphone with noise reduction ensures your voice comes through loud and clear. And setup is a breeze - connect the webcam to your computer's USB port, and you're ready to go!

Technical Details

Brand‎LogitechSeries‎960-000694Item model number‎960-000694Color‎BlackRear Webcam Resolution‎8 MPBatteries‎1 Lithium Ion batteries required.Manufacturer‎LogitechCheck at Amazon
https://digitalchowder.com/10-essential-digital-resources-for-the-home-business-on-a-budget/

The Top Advantages of Freelancing and Making the Most of Them

NOTE: This article, copied from Website Planet, and writer Bethenny Carl, is an excellent resource for freelancers. I offer it to my readers at Digital Chowder to benefit from learning the advantages of freelancing.

Ultimate Guide to Being a Freelancer

Bethenny Carl,
Freelance Jobs Expert

If you’re thinking of becoming a freelancer, you’re probably bored with your day job and looking for new challenges in your life. Maybe you love the idea of being your own boss, or maybe you just need more flexibility in your work schedule. Either way, the freelance life could be perfect for you.

When you’re a freelancer, everything’s up to you. You can choose to work from the comfort of your own home, from your favorite cafe or from a shared office space. If you’re the adventurous type, you can even be a digital nomad, traveling the world with your trusty laptop. You can work for several clients at a time or find one reliable client who can provide you with regular work. You can work regular business hours just like the rest of the world, or sleep till noon and do your work during the wee hours of the night.

The most important thing is to determine what will work best for you, and find your own way to do it successfully. Because after all, that’s what freelancing is all about: finding your own way.

With all the different options out there, if you’re just starting your freelance career, things can seem quite overwhelming. But don’t worry – we’re here to help you figure it all out.

Your Cheat Sheet to Becoming a Successful Freelancer

The freelance life is challenging, but it can be very rewarding and enjoyable. We’ve compiled this comprehensive guide to help you become a successful freelancer. Read on to learn all you need to know about finding work, pricing, managing, and building a freelance business.

Chapter 1: Finding a Freelance Job

Freelancers can find clients in all sorts of places, but one of the best options is through online freelance platforms. Recent data shows that this is how 75% of freelancers find work. Freelance platforms are online marketplaces where freelancers can showcase their skills, share their portfolio, and outline their rates. Clients know that they’ll find plenty of freelancers on these sites, so it’s usually the first port of call for businesses to browse talent and find the right person to work on their next project. Determine which freelance platform (or platforms) is the best for you!

Chapter 2: How to Create a Winning Freelance Profile

A fantastic profile stops clients in their tracks for a second look. That’s the type of profile you want. Your profile on a freelance hiring platform is your storefront, business card, and public face. Clients who have never worked with you before only have your profile to guide them on whether or not they should hire you. Find out how to avoid the pitfalls of a bad profile and create one that gets every potential client clicking!

Chapter 3: How to Price Your Freelance Work

Without question, the most frequently asked question posed by every freelancer is always “How much should I charge?” Pricing your work on Upwork, Freelancer, or any other platform means walking a very fine line. On the one hand, you’re scared that if you ask for too much money, the client will take their business elsewhere. On the other hand, you certainly don’t want to charge less than you deserve. You’re providing a valuable service, and you should be compensated for your skills, experience, and time. So, how do you make this calculation? We provide you with the tools you need to make this all-too-important decision.

Chapter 4: How to Book a Freelance Job

When you’re just starting out as a freelancer, your biggest worry is finding work. You might feel ready to say “yes” to every project that comes along, so you don’t have to spend weeks and months with no work to do. The risk is that you’ll end up saying ‘yes’ to the wrong jobs. Learn which jobs to say “no” to, tips for writing a winning proposal and landing your first job, as well as the pros and cons of going with short-term versus long-term projects.

Chapter 5: How to Discuss a Freelance Project with Your Client Before You Start

Hooray! The client liked your proposal and got in touch to ask for more details. You’re in that tricky stage now between proposal and contract, where you need to understand what the client wants and effectively communicate your requirements. Understand what you need to know before you sign on the dotted line, including deadlines, scope of work, and of course, payment terms.

Chapter 6: How to Navigate the Freelance – Client Relationship

One of the primary skills you’ll need to gain as a freelancer is managing your clients’ expectations. Doing this successfully requires starting on the right foot by presenting your client with a clear contract. Find out how to meet (and exceed) client expectations, build a strong client-freelancer relationship, and how to navigate various issues without it affecting your working relationship. And don’t forget, every type of client is different – we give you a few tips on how to handle different kinds of clients.

Chapter 7: How to Manage Your Time as a Freelancer for Maximum Productivity

Every freelancer is tempted to believe they can fit their work around the rest of their life. This approach could lead to trouble. To succeed as a freelancer, you will need to schedule your work time just as if you worked in an office. It’s important to treat your work seriously, so schedule your work for your most productive time of day. Learn all the tips and tricks to managing all your clients within reasonable hours, including juggling multiple projects, recommended time-tracking and automation software, and, of course, how to maximize your productivity.

Chapter 8: How to Get Paid as a Freelancer

Once you’ve completed your work, the next step is getting paid. Hopefully, you’ll have an appreciative client who pays promptly. First and foremost, you need to choose the best payment option. We summarize the top payment options and help you decide which is best for you. Also discussed is how to receive international payments, fees, invoicing, and (unfortunately) what to do in cases of non-payment.

Chapter 9: Managing Your Finances as a Freelancer – A Comprehensive Guide

As a freelancer, managing your finances can be a lot more challenging than it used to be when you were a traditional employee. When you’re a freelancer, you can’t be certain how much you’ll make throughout the year. You also have to allow for your tax burden and benefits such as health and disability insurance, which aren’t shared by your employer. 

Chapter 10: How to Advance Your Freelance Career

Being a freelancer can bring you a good income and the freedom to work according to your own schedule. Once you’re established as a freelancer, you might want to find ways to grow your income and advance your career. Read here to find ways to increase your earning potential and advance your career, including becoming an agency and “selling your experience” by teaching others.

Chapter 11:How to Be a Freelancer and Keep Your Day Job

Is it possible to have a full-time job and side business at the same time? The answer is yes. Absolutely. For sure. But it’s not easy. And it won’t happen overnight. It takes planning, determination, and persistence – but it’s very possible. And more and more freelancers are successfully juggling both. Our expert goes over the eight steps you need to take to get into freelancing while still maintaining your current job.

What’s Happening in the Freelance World?

Freelancing is becoming more popular as an alternative to working as an employee of a single company. Freelancers often say that they enjoy the flexibility, prefer to be able to choose how much they work, and/or don’t want to be tied down to working at the same place long-term.

Working with freelancers is a popular choice for businesses as well. The recent recession has forced many companies have been forced to downsize. While they can’t afford to hire full-time employees, they still need workers for regular, periodic, or occasional tasks. By hiring freelancers, companies have access to the skills they need without keeping extra permanent staff on the books.

This trend of reducing the number of full-time employees has left many talented workers without a regular job. Freelancing not only gives them the option to do the work at which they excel, but also to work remotely for businesses that are far away from their own locale.

These individuals are in good company, as the freelance market has continued to increase over the past several years.
– In 2005, 10.1 % of the U.S. population worked as freelancers at some point over the year.
– By 2014, that figure had risen to 34% of the workforce, or 53 million Americans.
– And in 2017, 36% of the American workforce—or 57.3 million people—did freelance work.
– By 2020, that number is expected to meet, and possibly exceed, 40%.

Ten years ago, there were very few websites that connected freelancers with clients. Today, freelancers can advertise their skills on popular global hiring platforms such Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com, or on industry-specific freelance sites such as 99Designs or EngineerBabu.

Why It’s Awesome to Be a Freelancer

Freelancing can be a very attractive lifestyle. Some of the advantages include:

- Being your own boss: You choose your hours, and you decide when to clock in and out.- Freedom to work anywhere: When you’re a freelancer, you can work from home, your local coffee shop, or even the beach.- Ability to choose your projects: Freelancing brings the option of choosing which projects interest you and which ones, well, don’t. You can work in the fields you enjoy and skip the ones you dislike.- Work with people you like: When you work in an office, you don’t get to choose your colleagues or your superiors; as a freelancer, you can dismiss the nasty clients and hold on to the ones who are a pleasure to work for.- A real sense of achievement: When you freelance, the amount you earn is directly connected to how much and how well you work; you won’t be wondering why you didn’t get a raise or feel that your manager got the credit for your hard work.

That said, being a freelancer isn’t for everyone. If you want to be a successful freelancer, you need:

- Self-discipline: You’ll need to get your tasks done without being distracted by the beach, the game, or the dirty dishes in the sink.- Good communication skills: It’s up to you to know how to ask for more guidance when you don’t understand the instructions; you’ll also need to be able to deal with difficult clients.- Organization and time management: As a freelancer, you’ll need to keep all of your documents in order, stay on top of your tax obligations, and make sure that you meet your deadlines.- Courage to put yourself out there: No one will know that you are a top-class developer, writer, or designer unless you promote your skills.- The ability to multitask: Most freelancers juggle multiple projects at the same time, so you’ll have to prioritize your tasks and be able to switch between different topics in an instant.

The Dark Side of Freelancing

Although being a freelancer can bring you flexibility, control, and a great income, there are downsides as well. Some of the disadvantages of freelancing include:

- An uncertain income that can vary from month to month- No paid vacation days, sick leaves, or benefits- You always have to be contactable by your clients- No job security; if work dries up, there’s no termination pay or option to sue for unfair dismissal- You have to meet tax obligations without any employer withholdings- Full responsibility for administrative tasks like accounting, invoicing, and chasing payments

Freelancing is not for everyone, so take a long, hard look at yourself before you get started. Some people will have a hard time succeeding as a freelancer. As yourself if any of the following apply to you:

- Find it difficult to take criticism: As a freelancer, you’ll need to be able to accept and respond to feedback that isn’t always positive.- Have trouble communicating: Sometimes, you’ll have to take the initiative and approach clients for work; you’ll also occasionally need to admit that you’re struggling with a project and ask for more resources or guidance.- Aren’t self-motivated: Without a manager keeping you on track, you’ll be in charge of your own work schedule; if you can’t stay on top of everything, you’ll quickly be swallowed up in the quicksand of deadlines.- Don’t like working in isolation: If you need the buzz of a busy office and the social opportunities of the water cooler, you’ll soon get bored of working on your own.- Can’t handle the uncertainty of not knowing when your next paycheck will arrive: If you get consumed by anxiety when you have a slow month, your nerves might not be able to handle freelancing.

Don’t Forget: Being a freelancer isn’t an all-or-nothing decision. Many freelancers begin by doing some freelance work alongside a regular part-time or full-time job, then slide into full-time freelancing. If you try freelancing and decide that it’s not for you, there’s no shame in returning to the world of regular employment.

What Freelancing Skills Are the Most In-Demand?

Freelancing is open to many different skill sets, but some are more in demand than others. Some of the most popular freelancing skills are:

• - Social media management: This is a vital skill for all types of businesses across all verticals; while the average hourly rate is $16, talented freelancers can charge $45 per hour or more in this field.
• - IT programming and development: IT programming and developing is a popular choice for freelancers, and the average hourly salary for programmers and developers is $22.20. In this field, the rate you can charge depends on which programming languages you’ve mastered; a full-stack developer in the US charges an average of $55 per hour, while a web designer in the US charges an average of $25.
• - SEO, content writing, and copywriting: The average hourly rate for content writers across the world is $16, which is relatively low compared to an IT programmer. But experienced and talented writers can earn up to $90/hour, and sometimes more.
• - Graphic design: Talented graphic designers are needed for everything from product design to website creation. The average hourly pay for a designer is $20, but the range is wide. Graphic designers earn an average of $17 per hour, but top designers who can tap into multimedia and 3D design can command an hourly rate of $45 and above.
• - User experience (UX/UI) design: A step beyond graphic design, a UX/UI designer pulls together the entire customer experience on a website or app; the average salary is $42 per hour.
• - Business consulting: This involves advising businesses of all sizes on every aspect of improving their business; the average hourly rate of $35 is just the beginning.
• - Information security: Analysts in this sector are much needed, given the high risk of cyber attacks; if you’re freelancing as an IT security analyst, you should be charging well over $40 per hour.
• - Virtual assistants: As offices downsize, the demand for remote assistants to deal with standard administrative tasks is rising; virtual assistants charge an average of $11 per hour.
• - Accounting: Freelancers and small businesses often turn to other freelancers to handle their tax and accounting needs; freelance accountants can earn a respectable average salary of $19 per hour, with financial analysts and business management accountants charging an average of $21 per hour.
• - Photography and video editing: Demand for these jobs has grown by 19%-22% as high-quality images become more important for successful marketing; the average hourly rate for professional photographers begins at $75 per hour, with top photographers earning up to $500 or more per hour.
• https://digitalchowder.com/the-top-advantages-of-freelancing-and-making-the-most-of-them/

The Benefits of Hubspot CRM for Small Businesses

You Can Easily Manage All Customer Relationships from One Place.

With HubSpot CRM, you can easily manage all your customer relationships from one place. This means you can keep up with what’s going on with each contact, whether it’s a lead, a prospect, or a current client. You can even send automated emails to your contacts based on their actions within the system.

Do You Have A CRM System?

Is a CRM System (Customer Relations Management) a component of your small business? If not, should it be? If it is, how is it contributing to the growth of your business? I would love to hear how CRM is benefiting your business. Please use the comment box below to share. Or, you can contribute through our contact form. I acknowledge that there may be businesses that will not benefit from CRM significant enough to be worth the setup time and learning curve. But I also contend that in many instances, an assumption that CRM will not benefit may be unfounded.

Should You Have A CRM System?

To explore the benefit of a CRM app, Let's use my business as an example. I am an affiliate marketer. SEO is a big deal to me and my business. I'm continually looking for ways to improve it to bring more traffic to my site. Given my efforts to improve SEO and my obsession with analytics, putting all my eggs in that basket is tempting. If I can grow my traffic to enough visitors, I will attain the financial return I'm after, so it would seem. If this is my entire strategy, I'm playing a numbers game. I'm betting that a certain percentage of those who come to my content will make a purchase. The more I increase the traffic; the higher my income will be. While this can be true, I'm overlooking many contributing factors that could increase the percentage of my return, better known as ROI.

I'm overlooking an important factor in why people come to my site. I need them to click on an affiliate link and make a purchase. But is that why they came to my site? No. It is unlikely that anyone will come to my website to buy something.

In most cases, they came for information. It is possible that while they are reading, they will see an ad for a product they were considering purchasing or that has an incredible price. So on impulse, they click on the link to check out the product and may make a purchase. That scenario has considerably decreased the percentage of a visitor making a purchase. So if I relied on a broad statistic that says that a certain percentage of those who visit a site make a purchase, I might discover that the percentage is much lower for my scenario.

(We independently select these products — if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.)

What If I Could Change the Scenario?

So what if I could change that scenario? What if, for instance, I began to acquire an email list of those who read my blogs? And then, I used a CRM system to store and manage that list. And what if I keep track of the habits and behaviors of those on the list? Blogs they read and activity on the website? Now I have a means of building relationships with people who know what I offer. They are no longer strangers who happened by my website but followers or at least repeat users of my services. For these people, the scenario has changed. When they come to my website now, they are already open to taking advantage of what I offer. I have increased the ROI for those on my list. And the more I can grow that list, the greater my return will be.

Let me give a personal example of how this might work. A few months ago, I came across a reference to a blog written by Lisa Sicard, posted on her website, inspiretothrive.com. After reading her blog and exploring her website, I decided I was interested in her ideas and services and wanted her as a resource. So I subscribed to her email list. Now I receive her weekly newsletter with references to her blogs and other resources. When she recommends a product or an action that might help, I check it out because I consider her a competent resource. By signing up for her email list, I transitioned from a visitor to a follower, and when I read her blogs or go to her website, I am already receptive to what she might recommend.

Convinced that I need to pursue growing an email list, I will need help. I need a CRM system to help manage this effort.

HubSpot CRM

As a user of HubSpot CRM, I want to walk you through some of its features to acquaint you with ways the CRM can benefit your business. From the list of CRM systems below, you will notice that PCMag editors Gadjo Sevilla & Neil McAllister, in their article, "The Best CRM Software for 2022," rated HubSpot as the "Best for Easy to Use CRM for SMBs." They also gave it a 3.5 Good rating, which is not the highest rating provided for CRM choices for small businesses. So HubSpot may not be your pick. My purpose is to reveal some features, pointing out how they might benefit your business.

First, one of the reasons I chose HubSpot was the free features with no time limit on the free access. There are a few limitations on some of these free features, such as having HubSpot branding or no form or email automation. The free account allows 1,000 contacts and 2,000 emails per month. The startup business has the free tools it needs to grow and can phase into additional features as it is ready for them and more capable of paying.

As I move on to highlight some of the features in HubSpot, I want to emphasize that this is not a review of HubSpot. I do not intend to cover all segments of its features. This blog only introduces CRM software and how it can benefit your business. I will use HubSpot and its marketing features to outline a CRM marketing plan using an email list.

Introduction To A CRM System

Once I have set up my HubSpot free account, I have the choice of registering for tools in five different categories: Marketing, Sales, Service, Operations, and CMS. All are free. While I could sign up for tools in more than one of these hubs, I have only chosen Marketing.

I begin by importing a pre-existing contact list to get started with my marketing tools. I also have the option of manually creating new contacts. The importing process is simple. I exported a contact list I already had with another email service to a CSV file. I then imported the file into my HubSpot account. The free HubSpot account will allow me to store up to 1 million contacts in as many as five active lists and 1,000 static lists. The limit on emails sent each month is 2,000.

With contacts stored in my account, I will also connect my website to HubSpot through the HubSpot WordPress plugin. Through this connection, I can track the contacts' activity on my website by email, phone calls, and chat. The HubSpot plugin connection allows me to establish a chat feature on my website for interaction with website visitors. From my dashboard, I can turn the chat feature on or off depending on my availability to respond. With these tools engaged and the ability to track user activity, I can begin to interact with my contacts based on their interests. In other words, I can build relationships with them. Once I start sending targeted emails and newsletters, I will have additional information to help develop those relationships.

Capturing New Leads

Now that I have access to a free marketing account and a list of contacts added to it, I am ready to begin adding new leads to my CRM. I will use the following tools to achieve that goal:

- Landing Page Builder - I can create a landing page for a new promotion. For greater integration, I will use the HubSpot service to host it for free rather than including it along with my website. I could design a complete website with the CMS tools on HubSpot if I choose. I already have a website, so I will use only the landing page tools to channel results from my new promotion.- Forms - This tool will add a form to my landing page to capture new leads.- Ads - Using the ad tools, I can integrate with Facebook ads, creating and tracking an advertisement for my new promotion. Ad campaign activity will go into the contact records.- Marketing Email - Now, I am ready to send a marketing email or newsletter to target the various interests of both my new and existing leads. Tools for this are in my free marketing account.Why Not Use Only An Email Marketing Service?

You may wonder why you need a CRM system if you already use an email marketing service such as MailChimp or Constant Contact. One of the strengths of HubSpot and other CRM systems are their integrations. HubSpot, for example, has integration with MailChimp, enabling you to continue using your account there while importing the activity of your email blasts to your CRM in HubSpot. When I am ready to send a marketing email or newsletter, if I choose, I can integrate with MailChimp or another service to send the newsletter. My CRM system will receive the contact activity from that mailing to provide insights on my contacts. This information will help me segment my contacts and inform me of their needs and interests.

It is not necessary, though, to use MailChimp because HubSpot has all that is necessary for the task of mailing. Whether using an integration or working within HubSpot, your move to a CRM system will transition you from merely using analytics to having a comprehensive view of your contacts.

Video Overview

For another perspective on using a CRM system for marketing, this video will give an overview of inbound marketing at HubSpot.

Taking The Plunge

Whether you're ready to dip your toe in the CRM pool or take the plunge, here are some resources to help.

HubSpot

HubSpot is my choice and the system I have used to demonstrate the advantages of using a CRM system. If you want to check it out further, here is a link you can use for that purpose - HubSpot. The extensive array of free resources will help you get up and running before having any financial outlay. To be clear, as an affiliate, I may benefit if you choose HubSpot.

Choosing A CRM System

There are many options when choosing a CRM system. HubSpot is not the only option and may not be your best choice. As you browse through the list below, a good starting point is to match a system to the size and needs of your business. You will find systems designed for larger and smaller companies, along with other options.

This list is available from PCMag editors Gadjo Sevilla & Neil McAllister, in their article, "The Best CRM Software for 2022," which reviewed 13 of the best CRM software. Here is their summary:

- Zoho CRM  4.5 Outstanding | Best for Zoho Platform Customers- HubSpot CRM  3.5 Good | Best for Easy to Use CRM for SMBs- Freshsales CRM  4.0 Excellent | Best for Basic CRM- Zendesk Sell  4.0 Excellent | Best for Integration With Zendesk Products- Salesforce Sales Cloud Lightning Professional  4.5 Outstanding | Best Overall- Less Annoying CRM  4.0 Excellent | Best for Startups- Sales Creatio  4.0 Excellent | Best for Large Sales Teams- Apptivo CRM  4.5 Outstanding | Best for Small Business CRM- Insightly CRM  4.0 Excellent | Best for Growth-Stage Businesses- Act! CRM  3.0 Average | Best for Longtime Act! Users- Salesflare  2.5 Fair | Best for Very Small Teams- SugarCRM Sugar Sell  4.0 Excellent | Best for High Customization

Conclusion

HubSpot CRM is a good choice for small businesses that want an easy-to-use system with many free features. But there are many CRM systems available, and the best one for your business will depend on the size of your company and your specific needs. Use the resources above to help choose the best CRM system for your business.

If you are already using a CRM, you might want to make a recommendation describing the benefits of your system that you like best. Please do so in the comments box below or through our contact form.

https://digitalchowder.com/the-benefits-of-hubspot-crm-for-small-businesses/

Digital Chowder: A Home Business Guide to Digital Resources

What sets Digital Chowder apart?

This blog is intended to get you up to speed on Digital Chowder. What exactly is Digital Chowder? We are "The home business guide to digital resources," as our slogan states. But what exactly does the name "Digital Chowder" imply? It's based on the notion of a "Digital Soup," inspired by Jon Gordon.

Soup, Inc is a soup company that has been around for decades. Nancy, the firm's new CEO, learns the secrets to resurrecting her company. It becomes her recipe for success. The term "digital Chowder" refers to the home business, particularly digital features. What are the components of a successful house-based business's online presence? To put it another way, what makes up the digital soup? Instead of soup, we use chowder to describe something richer and thicker in nature. As a result, our objective is to provide rich digital resources that may serve as "digital chowder" for your home business.

Digital Chowder is a community dedicated to helping home-based businesses develop and succeed. We want to make your job more efficient and effective. I combine decades of study with my experience managing a home-based business office. To learn more about the growing variety of digital resources available, please visit digitalchowder.com frequently. We provide a bi-weekly email delivered to your inbox with our latest findings. You may sign up for this blog by using the contact form in the right column of this page. My blogs will offer helpful hints while searching for new resources since they will be based on an objective and honest point of view. My aim is not to be a resource reviewer.

I'd want my blogs to go beyond my discoveries and concentrate on issues that you, as a reader, may be dealing with. I'd want to hear about readers' discoveries and the challenges they're attempting to tackle. As a reader, what would you want me to research about digital resources for the home-based business and include in a blog? I invite you to use the form in the right column of this page to send an idea or a research request.

Digital Challenges of a Home Business

Home-based businesses fall into two main categories: 

- Those with one employee: This category addresses businesses with one employee who must wear many hats. This individual is the entrepreneur, marketer, secretary, and so on. The list of hats may be endless, and it seems never-ending. Solo business owners are constantly looking for methods to automate or subcontract portions of their job to free up time for other responsibilities. They must identify those tasks they can only do and for which they are gifted. Then, learn methods to address additional tasks under a restricted budget. How do I know if the money is limited? Because the owner is flying solo. There would be other workers if the budget permitted. How can I assist those in this area with difficulties finding solutions to automate or outsource their work? It's an important aspect of my study.- Those with one or more employees: Employees of a home-based business with several people will operate out of home offices. On the one hand, these companies may have some of the same concerns as single-employee businesses. However, they will also have problems associated with enterprises that work in a single physical location. Such difficulties as integrating their digital assets are an example. How can I help those in this category? I'll be addressing some of these issues in my study. And for this need, I'd like to collaborate with you in finding answers to your digital difficulties. I will report what I learn and share it on my blog to benefit others.

Qualifying Digital Topics

Topics I plan to address include but are not limited to the following list. Keep in mind, though, that these topics only qualify as they apply to the home-based business:

- Software/Apps- Hardware such as computers, printers, networks, etc.- Electronic devices- Online solutions. I consider almost any online solution to be digital.

This list covers four main categories of digital topics I will address. Still, it isn't easy to list all the possibilities, especially with the continual development of new solutions.
With my emphasis on the home-based business, topics may come to mind that is not digital, and I would not include them in my blogs. Examples include:

- Personal development or Lifehacks.- Best business practices- How to's- A particular business model or type of business- Etc.

Personal Invitation

If you have checked my website, which is the home of my blogs, you will see that I am just getting started. So far, I have addressed only a few topics. I understand that this might discourage you from staying around or returning. But, I encourage you to return as I might address your need soon. On the other hand, my invitation is to offer you my services as a free 'personal assistant.' To submit an issue for which you want me to assist you or discover a solution, use this form in the right column of this page. My decades of expertise as a home worker has involved technical issues. These experiences include: 

- Web design and development, - Working in PHP and MySQL, - Working in Python, - Networking solutions, - Computer troubleshooting, etc. 

So, I may already know an answer but have not yet mentioned it in a blog. 

If I don't have a solution, I'll look into it for you. You can research as I do, but I may save you some time. Furthermore, because of my technical knowledge, I may be able to break through the jargon and understand the advantages and disadvantages of one option versus another.

Download Free Infographic

Finding Computer Infographic
https://digitalchowder.com/digital-chowder-the-home-based-business-guide-to-digital-resources/

Solving the Inventory Management Dilemma of A Home Business

Assessing your inventory storage needs

So you are the owner/operator of a home business that is getting started. Since your business sells physical products, inventory storage is a growing concern. Initially, you may have stored inventory in your garage, basement, or even a spare bedroom. But fortunately, your business is growing, and storing inventory at home is no longer an option. So, what are you to do? Paying for more storage will present a hardship on finances. Now is an excellent time to assess your storage needs. What are the breakeven points of profit versus storage costs?

 In the beginning, there were so many details to traverse you took the most straightforward route to store your inventory. But now, your storage needs have outgrown your home, and it is time for a more comprehensive plan. Here are some thoughts to consider:

- You can't afford much, but you need something. Self-storage may be the best first step.- How long will the answer be if you choose self-storage as a first step? This is an excellent time to do some calculations and develop a progressive plan for storage.- What level of sales will take you to the limits of this first-step storage solution?- Will this level of sales afford a move to an adequate storage solution as a second step? A solution that will enable you to grow for a sufficient time?  - It would be wise to calculate the sales thresholds that push you to move to the next phase of storage capacity. Don't wait until you are at the limit of your current storage capacity.

We independently select these products — if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Inventory Management Software

To help protect and manage this growth plan, you need a good Inventory Management App (IMA). An IMA will help to determine the growth and storage thresholds.  

Before listing Inventory Management Apps, I want to emphasize that I am writing with a home business in mind. These are small businesses, and most, if not all, will have limited budgets. Each, however, has the wish to become larger. For the small business that sells physical products, storage is necessary that . . .

- . . . is within the limited budget - . . . will allow for significant growth before upsizing

To consider Warehouse Management Apps (WMA) would be overkill for the small business. The cost for WMAs would eat up the budget for storage, leaving nothing for storage facilities. Plus, warehouse management involves so much more than your inventory. What the small business owner needs to know is:

- What length of time can I go before having to restock products?- How much of each product should I have on hand for this period? - How much space will be adequate to store this much product?

An Inventory Management App can handle this information at a much lower cost. 

When considering an Inventory  Management App, I point to Adam Uzialko's article in the Business News Daily. He says, "most experts recommend cloud-based apps that do not require you to maintain servers or an IT staff . . . Instead, cloud-based software is managed by the software company." 

The following table lists Inventory Management Apps and compares features and costs.  

Comparison of Inventory Management Apps

The following table lists Inventory Management Apps and compares features and costs.  Click on the table image for a better view. You can also use this link to download a PDF of the table. below - (Download PDF of Inventory Management Apps)

Here are the links for each of the apps:

- Katana- Shipstation- Zoho- Boxstorm- Salesbinder

It is difficult to make an item-by-item comparison with these apps. There are too many variations with each. Consider the table a starting point for your research. It gives five affordable apps for small business and an overview to help kick-start your research.

In my next article, we will consider storage alternatives.

We independently select these products — if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.

https://digitalchowder.com/solving-the-inventory-management-dilemma-of-a-home-business/

My Top Five Favorite Apps for Maximum Productivity

These are my personal best productivity apps. Although they might What is a productivity app or software? A common understanding of productivity software assigns them to tasks such as producing documents, worksheets, and similar tasks. Not all the apps I am discussing fit that definition. Regardless, they all contribute to my personal productivity. Though the tasks I undertake vary, each app contributes to my productivity.

My five best productivity apps:

Ditto Clipboard

Ditto Clipboard is a Windows clipboard manager with advantages over Windows Clipboard. A key difference is an ability to store copied or cut content, saving as many items as you wish. You can then paste any copied content wherever you want at any point in the future. If you do many copy-and-paste functions, you will recognize how this can speed up your work.

A small example of this functionality gain is logging onto an online account. Using Windows Clipboard, you copy the username and then switch to the webpage to paste it. Next, you copy the password and then change to the webpage to paste the password. Using Ditto, you can complete this task in one step. Copy both username and password, then switch to the webpage and paste both to log in.

But another feature of Ditto speeds up my work even more. Have you ever pasted content into a document and had a big reformatting job? What a huge loss of time! With Ditto, there is little, if any, needed reformatting.

The best part yet maybe that Ditto is a free app.  While Ditto is a Windows app, Mac has a similar app called Clipmenu. You can use the buttons below to check them out.

Ditto Download for WindowsClipmenu Download for Mac

We independently select these products — if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Evernote

Evernote describes itself as a way to: "Tame your work, organize your life." Note-taking is fundamental to what Evernote is about. You can install the app on any of your devices, and it will sync with all your other devices. This is helpful for me when doing a presentation. I can write the presentation notes in Evernote using my computer. When I give the presentation I can view the notes on my tablet.

So far, I could also say that I have described any number of apps. But the feature I like best with Evernote is one I know of no other app that provides. Using the Evernote browser plugin, I can capture the content of any web page I wish to save.

Three formats are available for saving content from most web pages:

- Full page- Just the article displayed on the page- A simplified version of the article

Capturing the article will reduce the page to the article plus graphics. Choosing the simplified article option will reduce it to text only. I most often use either the second or third option.

This web-clipping feature is a huge time saver for research. I clip an article on a web page and choose within the browser plugin the folder to which I want to save it. When ready to compile the research findings, they are ready and waiting for me in the saved folder. I can access them on any of my devices. They will all be in editable Evernote pages with powerful editing tools at my fingertips.

Besides taking notes, Evernote will also allow audio recordings and hand sketches. Further options include tasks and calendar features.

The last feature I will highlight is one with which I only recently became acquainted. This feature allows me to connect Evernote with my WordPress website. Now I can write my posts in Evernote, which will appear in my WordPress posts.

Go to Evernote

Snagit

Number three among my five best productivity apps is Snagit from Techsmith. Snagit is a screen capture app that will do much more than screen captures. It will also do a video capture of my actions on the screen. This makes it an excellent tool for creating 'how-to' videos. I like to use this feature for help videos on websites. I have also used it as a support tool with clients. It will record my voice so I can include audio with these helpful videos.

Snagit has elementary video editing tools to use in cleaning up your videos. If you need a more robust video editor, TechSmith offers Camtasia.

Snagit has four selection options for screenshots:

- Full Screen- An open window- Drag over an area to select- Scrolling a document

A feature not to be overlooked is converting Captured graphics to animated GIFs.

Check Out Snagit

Todoists

Todoist is what the name implies – A To-Do List. I use Todoist to keep me organized. I recommend choosing an organizational app that will allow us to work most efficiently. Todoist is that tool for me. The screenshot below illustrates how it works. Notice the options in the left column. Select "Today" to view tasks for the current day. Select the "Upcoming" option to display the view to the right.

Using the "Upcoming" view, you can select a particular date and add tasks for completion. The default view is the current week, listing scheduled duties for each day that week. Do you have a project to manage with many tasks? Todoist can handle it. Todoist also allows the scheduling of recurring tasks.

Each day there will be a list of uncompleted tasks from previous days, which you can reschedule. Reschedule these to the next available date. You can schedule your tasks for a specific time of day and also assign them a priority.

As for any such app, it takes time to discover how it might work best for you or whether it will work at all. A free version is available to allow this experimentation before buying. Or, you can stay with the free version and work without the benefit of certain features.

Go to Todoist

Keeper Security

The last of my best productivity apps is Keeper Security - an app without which I cannot function. Not only does it manage my passwords, but also my:

- software keys- credit cards- driver's license- health insurance cards- and much more

Keeper Security is another app that crosses over to all my devices. So I can access passwords from any device. And, if I am on a computer that does not have the apps, I can always use the browser for access.

I need my passwords when online more than at any other time. So the browser plugin is my most used Keeper app. If I have stored the web page URL in Keeper and the password, Keeper will pop up, ready to do its thing. Entry of my credentials will be automatic when I give permission. But I can also choose to allow automatic entry, and the procedure happens without any further action on my part.

What about security? Keeper Security has a high level of encryption and security measures in place. As a user, though, I need to use good sense. To help with this, Keeper apps will all time out after a few minutes of inactivity. The use of the master password is then required to regain access. An exception to this will be the browser plugin. It is wise to close the browser when leaving the computer or other device.

I don't like creating passwords. So I am glad for Keeper to create a password when signing up for a new account online. I can set the parameters of the password to meet the need of any website.

Go to Keeper Security

Remember to SAVE this blog on your Instagram page.

We independently select these products — if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.

https://digitalchowder.com/my-best-productivity-apps/

How to Clean Up Malware Infections in Your WordPress Website

Small business owners rely heavily on their websites for their online presence. Malicious activities or malware attacks on their website can damage their reputation and make their business untrustworthy. WordPress websites are especially vulnerable to such attacks, and knowing how to handle malware infections can be challenging. However, cleaning up malware infections is essential for maintaining the security of your website and keeping it functional. In this post, we will provide a comprehensive guide on how to clean up malware infections in your WordPress site.

Step 1: How to Detect Malware on Your WordPress Site

The first step to cleaning up malware infections on your WordPress site is to detect the presence of malware. There are several ways to detect malware on your site. One of the easiest ways is to use a malware scanner. A malware scanner will scan your site for malware and identify malicious files. There are several free and paid malware scanners available that you can use to scan your WordPress site. I will give more information on these below.

Another way to detect malware on your WordPress site is to look for unusual behavior. Malware can cause your site to behave unusually, such as redirecting visitors to other sites or displaying pop-up ads. If you notice any unusual behavior on your site, your site may have been infected with malware.

You can also check the access logs on your server to see if there have been any unusual requests to your site. Malware can cause your site to receive unusual requests from specific IP addresses. If you notice any unusual requests, your site may have been infected with malware.

Checking server logs may not be an option for you, but the security plugins we suggest later in this article offer activity logs you can view. The plugins will even alert you to unusual activity.

Step 2: Understanding the Types of Malware Infections on WordPress Sites

Several types of malware infections can affect WordPress sites. The most common malware infections are backdoors, trojans, and phishing scams.

Backdoors are a type of malware that allows hackers to gain access to your site even after you have removed the malware. Backdoors can be challenging to detect because they are often hidden in legitimate files.

Trojans are malware that disguises itself as a legitimate program or file. Trojans can be used to steal sensitive information or gain site access.

Phishing scams are malware that tricks visitors into giving up sensitive information, such as usernames and passwords. Phishing scams can be disguised as legitimate login pages or forms.

Landing Page: https://be.elementor.com/visit/?bta=65960&nci=5553

Step 3: Backup Your Website

Before proceeding to the cleaning process, you must back up your website to avoid any data loss. You can use plugins like UpdraftPlus, VaultPress, or BackupBuddy to back up your website's content, theme files, and databases. These plugins offer automated backups, and you can back up your website content to the cloud or through a download link.

While backing up your website is vital in cleaning a malware infection, an even wiser practice is running regular backups before an infection occurs. Though a good backup app should check for malware, one might slip through and be included in the backup. Obviously, this would perpetuate the infection.

As a backup tip, a quick fix for a significant website malfunction can be to have two critical files downloaded to your computer for quick access. If you have FTP access to your WordPress installation, download the index.php and wp-config.php files to your computer from the installation's root directory. This can assure a fast recovery if your site goes down entirely due to an infection or other cause.

If you don't have FTP access or don't know how to work with FTP, the hosting panel of your website host may have a file manager. You should be able to find and download those files using the file manager. A third alternative to downloading the two files is to use the WordPress plugin "Filester - File Manager Pro."

As with many other insights, I learned this insight the hard way through personal experience. As a web developer/designer, I started my day not too long ago with a notice of unusual activity on one of the websites I manage. I went to the website and got nothing except an error message. The whole website was down.

Within a few minutes, I learned I had eight websites down. When a whole website is down, my mind goes to those two essential files: index.php and wp-config.php. Because I had backups of those two files for all my websites. I had all eight websites back up and running within a few minutes. This is not to suggest that every website crash is due to these files, but they are an excellent starting point. And often, as in my case, you will have to go no further to get your site operating again.

I still had an infection problem, but it isn't easy to do anything when you cannot even access the wp-admin dashboard. Once the sites were operational, I could take positive steps to eliminate the infections.

Step 4: Cleaning Up Malware Infections Step By Step

Now let's walk through a step-by-step process to clean up an infection:

1. Isolate affected files: Once you identify the problem, it is necessary to isolate or locate the affected files to prevent further damage. Two free website scanners are:

- Securi- Sitelock

In addition to these two tools, a WordPress plugin for scanning and security is MalCare WordPress Security Plugin. It is a Malware Scanner, Cleaner, and Security Firewall.

2, Remove malicious files: Once you have identified them, remove the malicious files from your site. You can do this manually by deleting the files or by using a plugin that will remove the files for you. The plugin MalCare will not only identify malware files but will also remove them.

Even after using a plugin to remove harmful files, a personal scan of your files is a good idea. You can do this using one of the three methods mentioned above to access your WordPress installation files. (FTP, dashboard file manager, or WordPress plugin Filester)

As you scan, you will be looking for anything that looks unusual. For instance, the recent infection I referred to above kept dumping files in the root directory of my WordPress installations that looked like this: aeda1d3cbabf291bbd35dd20106509d8. There was no file extension, just this long string of letters and numbers.

If you find an unusual file but aren't sure if you should remove it, rename it. For instance, with this file, you might rename it to "aeda1d3cbabf291bbd35dd20106509d8_ARC", showing it as an archive file. If you find issues with the website or admin panel after renaming the file, change it back to its original name. No harm, no foul.

When viewed, the files on my sites contained a URL designed to redirect visitors to a porn site. Of interest is that the redirection was only triggered when a visitor clicked on a URL for the website from a Google referrer. If the site URL was entered directly, no redirection took place.

3. Update your site: It's essential to update your site to the latest version of WordPress and all plugins and themes. This will ensure that any vulnerabilities exploited by the malware are patched.

4. Change your passwords: Change all passwords associated with your site, including your WordPress login, FTP, and database passwords. This will ensure that the hacker can't regain access to your site.

A word about changing the database password. This can be daunting for the novice user, but WP Reset, a WordPress plugin, will step even the novice through the process.

5. Check your site: After cleaning up the malware infection, it's essential to check your site to ensure everything is working correctly.

Step 5: Harden Your Website Security

Once your website is clean, you must harden your website's security to avoid future malware attacks and improve your website security. For this, I recommend the WPMU DEV packet of plugins. The packet has seven primary plugins, one of which is Defender Pro. Defender Pro monitors your WordPress site's vulnerabilities, detects any malware activity, and removes the villains.

By using all seven plugins, you cover most of your plugin needs while assuring they are compatible with one another and safe against vulnerabilities. And the cost of using all seven pro plugins is less than many individual plugins.

Suppose you choose to use a stand-alone plugin for security while using a variety of other plugins to cover the remaining tasks. This practice can increase your risk of vulnerability to infections.

Read my article, "Why Choose WPMU DEV for Your WordPress Projects?" for more about WPMU DEV plugins.

Additionally, you can implement best practices such as strong passwords, periodic backups, and limited login attempts.

Conclusion:

Cleaning up malware infections in your WordPress site is crucial for maintaining your website's security and functionality. You can follow the above steps to identify, remove, and prevent future malware attacks. Remember to back up your website before the cleaning process and update your website's core, theme, and plugins. Lastly, follow the best security practices and use security plugins to harden your website security. By doing so, you can keep your website safe and keep your small business running smoothly.

https://digitalchowder.com/how-to-clean-up-malware-infections-in-your-wordpress-website/

Choosing The Perfect Web Hosting Service for Your Business

Introduction

In my article, "6 Steps to Building A Website for Your Small Business," I gave six simple steps to launch your business's online presence. In that article, I touched on selecting a host for your website. In this article, I will go into more detail about Choosing The Perfect Web Hosting Service for Your Business.

Where Do I Start?

If you are new to website building and hosting, "where do I start?" may be your most daunting question. Where do you start? Do not start by researching web hosting services, what they charge, and what they have to offer. From this research, you will only learn what is available and what it will cost. You could then make the mistake of choosing a hosting service based only on cost.

So, where do you start? Start with your business.

- What is the nature of your business?- What do you want an online presence to do for your business?- Promote your business?- Capture a reasonable margin of the market share?- What will be your market reach (local, regional, national, global)?- Provide legitimacy for your business?- Sell products?- What will be the nature of the content for your website?- Information?- Blogs?- Media (images, videos, etc.)?- Data?- eCommerce?

There is more that could be listed here, but these questions will give a good start at identifying the requirements of a website for your business.

What Next

Based on your answers to the questions above, you will have vital information to use in selecting a web host. You can then identify which category you fall into below :

Less than average usage - The following website content will result in less than average bandwidth and storage:

- Basic information about the business- Informational blogs- Low to moderate traffic (less than 30,000 users per month)- Storage needs primarily consist of website images and a few files for download.- A low amount of file downloads or uploads

Average usage - The following content will have moderate bandwidth and storage usage:

- Medium to medium-high traffic (30,000 to 150,000 users per month) - 100Mbps is needed for every 1,000 users.- One or two of these activities in moderation:- Streaming music- Video conferencing - Large image files- A moderate amount of data- A moderate amount of one or two of these items:- Audio files- Video files- Image files- Databases- eCommerce

Higher than average usage - Increase everything under average use to high rather than moderate amounts. As traffic increases, bandwidth will increase regarding every activity on your website.

What Kind of Hosting Will I need?

Assuming you have worked through the questions above, you now have enough information to consider the hosting you need.

To address hosting options, I will draw on the help of the staff at digital.com, referencing their article, "How To Choose a Web Hosting Provider."

Using the information you have gleaned to this point, you have a general idea of your storage and bandwidth requirements. With this knowledge, consider the three hosting options: shared, virtual private, and dedicated, described in the digital.com article, "How To Choose a Web Hosting Provider."

Shared Hosting

With shared hosting, multiple sites use the same IP address and reside on the same server. This is the most economical form of web hosting, as the hosting company splits the cost of a physical server among multiple sites.

The main advantage of shared hosting is its price. However, you are also at the mercy of the bandwidth other sites on the same server use. If a large amount of traffic goes to another location on the same server, it slows your site considerably.

Also, if another site on the same server is engaging in nefarious behavior and has its IP blocked by spam filters, your site may be affected as well. Reliable hosting providers prevent this but you should take this possibility into account.

Virtual Private Server Hosting

Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting is the next step up in web hosting technology. While you still share the same physical server with other sites, you are set up with a unique virtual server and a unique IP address. This unique IP address keeps your site separate from other sites on the server.

If you choose VPS hosting you have the advantage of being able to manage more features on your server yourself and eliminate blacklisting risks like those with shared hosting. There are some limitations on how much traffic a VPS can handle, but most sites for individuals or small businesses will never come close to exceeding these limitations.

Dedicated Hosting

With dedicated hosting, your physical server or servers are for your website only. This is a more expensive type of hosting, but it is also the most reliable.

Large companies require the use of dedicated hosting services to guarantee uptime and to secure their site. This option is best for efficiency; but, again, it is far more expensive. There are options that help deflect the cost. Through Amazon Web Services (AWS), for example, where you can pay as you go to maintain better control over the costs.

The Top Web Hosting Providers

In addition to the information about types of hosting, from "How To Choose a Web Hosting Provider," digital.com offers their three picks for top web hosting providers:

Bluehost

Best Overall Hosting

For individuals or companies who decide that shared hosting fits their needs, you can’t get a better deal than Bluehost. It provides one of the least expensive starting packages for web hosting and includes a full 50GB of storage space at its lowest level plans. It also boasts an impressive 99.99% uptime. We found that its rates and support are among the best in the business for first-time users.

SiteGround

Best Hosting for Customer Support

Siteground provides a suite of excellent services, including reliable web hosting and fully managed WordPress hosting. Their hosting also comes with useful addons for e-commerce, including WooCommerce.

While SiteGround tends to be slightly more expensive than some of its competitors, it consistently provides some of the best service and fastest speeds available on the internet. It is ideal for beginners (it has several easy-to-use drag and drop tools), and established companies. They are a solid choice for a web host.

Hostinger

Best Budget Hosting

Hostinger stands out as an especially good option for hosting users who are on a tight budget. While Hostinger’s plans are exceptionally affordable it doesn’t mean they’re missing any key features. It provides a wide range of services that will satisfy most small businesses. Its entry-level packages are very affordable and can scale up to meet the needs of more demanding sites. Even the lowest-level shared hosting plan includes SSD storage, a free SSL certificate, and managed auto-updates for WordPress.

More on Hosting

Have your questions on hosting not yet been answered? You can take a deeper dive by checking out these other articles at Digital:

- https://digital.com/web-hosting/- https://digital.com/web-hosting/what-is-web-hosting/- https://digital.com/best-web-hosting/how-to-host-a-website/- https://digital.com/best-web-hosting/how-much-does-it-cost-to-host-a-website/

Other Considerations

Once you have settled on a hosting plan, it is time to consider additional features you will need for your website. These include Email, SSL security, and web builders.

Email Accounts - You will likely want multiple email accounts based on your business domain. For instance, sales@mybusiness.com. You will want to be sure the service you select includes email accounts in your hosting package.

SSL Security - SSL security assures that data transferred to and from your website is safe. Having this safeguard has become a must on today's internet. Most browsers will either warn you or block you when you are about to enter a website that does not have SSL. Receiving an unsafe warning in your browser about the website you are about to visit does not engender confidence in the business that operates the website.

Whether or not a hosting service includes SSL in its hosting package, you can purchase and install a certificate yourself. But it is a nice perk if included in the package, saving you approximately $50 annually.

Web Builders - You will need an application to build your business website. What does the hosting service you are considering offer? Many include a website builder app with drag-and-drop features. These can be relatively simple to learn to use, but will they offer you the flexibility you need?

Apart from a web builder app included in a hosting service package, there are two main options: build an HTML website or use a CMS app such as WordPress. A significant percentage of websites on the internet are run on WordPress sites.

A WordPress website can offer greater flexibility than drag-and-drop builders, especially when using a custom theme. It is helpful to use a professional designer to get the most out of a WordPress site. I recommend Elite Web Presence services for a custom WordPress or HTML site.

Should you choose WordPress to power your website, consider selecting a hosting service that specializes in hosting WordPress sites. Such hosting services will usually offer additional tools to enhance your WordPress-powered site.

Conclusion

It can be challenging to decide on a web hosting provider with all the available options. To help you narrow down your choices, we've put together a list of factors to keep in mind and some top providers. Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below!

Is there a topic you would like me to address? Please let us know in the comments below or on our contact form.