The A2 Posting https://www.a2hosting.com/blog The Official Blog for A2 Hosting Tue, 28 Feb 2023 04:23:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.8.1 Switching to cPanel’s Jupiter Theme https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/switching-to-cpanels-jupiter-theme/ Thu, 14 Jul 2022 13:00:03 +0000 https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/?p=13189 cPanel is a full-featured, web-based control panel that enables you to easily manage your hosting account. With cPanel, you can manage all aspects of your site, including e-mail accounts, files, …

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cPanel is a full-featured, web-based control panel that enables you to easily manage your hosting account. With cPanel, you can manage all aspects of your site, including e-mail accounts, files, backups, web site statistics, and much more. It is also one of the most widely used control panels, offered by many hosting companies as a part of their packages.

Themes provide the look-and-feel of the cPanel interface. The latest cPanel theme release is named Jupiter, and it replaces the Paper Lantern theme (which in turn replaced the x3 theme before it). If you have been using Paper Lantern for awhile, you may be considering a switch to Jupiter. Here’s what you need to know about cPanel’s latest theme.

Differences between cPanel Paper Lantern and Jupiter themes

Jupiter provides a completely new look-and-feel to the cPanel interface. But it also offers two new pages: Tools and Solutions.

If you have used cPanel before, the Tools page will be largely familiar to you. It is the default page, and groups features into familiar categories, such as Email, Domains, and Databases.  You’ll also see relevant information about your account at a glance in the right sidebar, including:

  • General information: Here you’ll find information such as your account’s IP address, home directory, username, and more.
  • Server information: Here you’ll find information specific to the server, such as software version numbers and path information.
  • Statistics: Here you’ll find various statistics relating to your account’s resource usage, such as disk, database, and domain usage.

The Solutions page, on the other hand, is totally new. It is intended for novice users of cPanel. It features tutorials on common tasks, such as how to set up an email account and build a website. There are also FAQs and links to documentation resources to help you easily find answers to your questions.

Switching from Paper Lantern to Jupiter theme in cPanel

You don’t have to wait to see what the new Jupiter theme looks like. You can easily switch your account to the Jupiter theme now to get a feel for the new interface. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to your cPanel account.
  2. In the right sidebar, under GENERAL INFORMATION, locate the Theme list box.
  3. Select Jupiter. cPanel switches to the Jupiter theme automatically.
  4. If you want to switch back to the Paper Lantern theme, just select paper_lantern in the Theme list box.

Conclusion

cPanel has made it easy to switch to the Jupiter theme. With dedicated development and the promise of more features, the benefits of making the switch to Jupiter outweigh the costs of staying with the older Paper Lantern theme.

At A2 Hosting, we strive to provide our customers with the latest industry standards and updates. Our hosting accounts include the new Jupiter theme so you can enjoy the best that cPanel has to offer. Our dedicated Support team is standing by 24/7/365 to answer any questions you may have.

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Why Should I Use Node.js? https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/why-should-i-use-node-js/ Mon, 11 Jul 2022 13:00:35 +0000 https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/?p=13192 Node.js is a cross-platform open source JavaScript runtime environment that runs outside of the browser. Due to its event-driven and non-blocking I/O architecture, Node.js can support more applications while using …

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Node.js is a cross-platform open source JavaScript runtime environment that runs outside of the browser. Due to its event-driven and non-blocking I/O architecture, Node.js can support more applications while using fewer resources and offers improved performance. It is a JavaScript-based platform built on Google Chrome’s JavaScript V8 Engine that works well for large video streaming sites or single-page applications.This blog post contains essential Node.js information to help you understand why Node.js is a good choice for application development.

Why Node.js?

So why use Node.js? Here are some key Node.js features that make it a popular choice for building web, desktop, and mobile applications: 

  • Scalability: Node.js can handle a large number of concurrent connections,  improving application performance.
  • Fast processing: Non-blocking thread requests are processed faster, enabling clients to receive faster responses for simple web application requests.
  • Easy to maintain: Node.js is a cross-platform environment that enables you to use the JavaScript language to create web, desktop, and mobile applications.
  • Large support community: Node.js has a large online community and tutorial repository, making it ideal for beginners.

Who uses Node.js

Approximately 1.6 percent of websites currently use Node.js, and usage is on an upward trend. It is frequently used by sites with high traffic, including many well-known companies such as Twitter, Spotify, eBay, Reddit, LinkedIn, Godaddy, and Netflix. Concurrent request processing, its lightweight footprint, and other Node.js features make it ideal for applications such as chatbots, data streaming, and the Internet of Things (IOT). For example:

  • Twitter used Node.js to improve the performance of its mobile web app.
  • Node.js is the de facto front-end web stack used by eBay to power web applications and orchestrate services on the eBay platform.

Getting started with Node.js web hosting 

Node.js has the right features to offer if you want to build a scalable web application using a single language, such as JavaScript, for both the frontend and the backend. These features include scalability, speed, and advanced performance. To see how easy it is to get started and set up a Node.js application using the cPanel control panel, see our Knowledge Base article How to Create a Node.js Application with cPanel.

Conclusion

Choosing the right development environment for your application can be a difficult decision, especially when starting out. This blog post has highlighted some of the key features of Node.js, and why it is a popular choice for web development. For more information about Node.js, please visit https://nodejs.org.

 

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Is FTP Secure? The Complete Breakdown of FTP Hosting and If It’s Right for You https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/is-ftp-secure-the-complete-breakdown-of-ftp-hosting-and-if-its-right-for-you/ Wed, 29 Jun 2022 13:00:15 +0000 https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/?p=12919 Globally, around 30,000 hackers break into websites daily, and in 2020, 64% of companies worldwide experienced at least one form of a cyber attack. It’s no wonder you’re asking if …

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Globally, around 30,000 hackers break into websites daily, and in 2020, 64% of companies worldwide experienced at least one form of a cyber attack. It’s no wonder you’re asking if FTP is secure. There are various file sharing options to choose from–FTP, SFTP, FTPS, HTTPS, EFSS, Collaborations System, among others, Many companies default to using FTP (file transfer protocol), but is this decade’s old file sharing option safe? We’ll review what FTP is, why it’s used if it’s right for your business, and how to protect your business and its data from a breach.

What is FTP?

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a network protocol used to transfer files between computers over the web. Users granted access can receive and transfer files in the FTP server known as the FTP host/site.

FTP provides basic, unencrypted file transfer capabilities to connect users over the internet. Developed in 1971 and thoroughly used throughout the 90s, this file-sharing option is now an archetype of the past, replaced by SFTP and SSH. 

The thing is, FTP wasn’t designed to be secure and has many security vulnerabilities like:

  • Packet Sniffing. FTP is plain text which means it’s not encrypted. All transmissions, logins, passwords, and data are readable by anyone on the network. 
  • Brute Force Attacks. Because FTP isn’t encrypted, it’s highly susceptible to hackers systematically checking frequently used passwords until the correct password matches.
  • Anonymous FTP Vulnerabilities. Anyone can access older or anonymous FTP servers without needing a username or password. 
  • Port stealing. Hackers can guess the next open port or use a PORT command to gain access as a go-between.

FTP doesn’t provide any safeguards preventing even the most inexperienced of hackers. Additionally, federally compliant organizations or networks can’t use FTP because of its lack of security. In fact, in 2017, the FBI issued a notice and warning about the potential for data breaches in the healthcare system for organizations using FTP. 

How to Secure Your Data 

Easy, don’t use FTP. Seriously. There are other protocols like SFTP, FTPS, and HTTP. SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) is the refreshed, secure version of FTP. 

Other ways to keep your data secure:

  • Frequently update your protocols. Attacks over protocols occur when you slack on updating your system.
  • Install an SSL (secure socket layer) certificate. SSLs encrypt the data on your website.
  • Use 2FA (two-factor authentication). Minimize the chances of hackers breaching your server. 

There’s definitely a time and a place for using FTP. An FTP server allows you to organize your files, provide access to other users to download these files remotely, and also set permissions for what users can and can’t do to your files. If you choose FTP, we recommend having your own private FTP server with a strong password. This way, you can transfer your files easily, but without security concerns.

Despite its security concerns, FTP remains available for file sharing but isn’t recommended for most uses. When using FTP, ensure you’re following every security protocol possible and consider using other alternatives like HTTPS or SFTP. 

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What is SSD server storage? Fast web hosting explained https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/what-is-ssd-server-storage-fast-web-hosting-explained/ Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:00:05 +0000 https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/?p=12922 If you’re as old as A2 Hosting is, then chances are you remember the spinning hard drive disks inside your computer. If you shake it, you break it. Those were …

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If you’re as old as A2 Hosting is, then chances are you remember the spinning hard drive disks inside your computer. If you shake it, you break it. Those were HDDs (hard disk drives) – self-contained storage devices containing spinning platters (sometimes also referred to as “spinning rust”). But then along came SSDs (solid-state drives) – the flashy and fast successor with its flash memory chips. SSD is the next generation of storage, faster than the clunky mechanical hard disks. But what exactly is SSD server storage? It’s one of the pillars of fast web hosting, and in this article, we’ll show you why.

What is SSD?

Developed by SanDisk in 1991, an SSD (solid-state drive) is a storage device that uses memory chips to record data. SSDs perform like a hard drive, but are much faster in performance. They are similar to a USB flash drive, minus the USB connection, and are designed for installation inside of the computer. SSDs have no moving parts and, as such, are more reliable than their HDD counterparts. 

How does an SSD work?

Like a hard drive, SSDs store large volumes of data. But instead of reading and writing data to a spinning platter like an HDD, SSDs store data on flash memory chips (sometimes known as NAND flash memory). An SSD also contains a controller chip. This chip is responsible for keeping track of where the data is located on the device, and finds the requested data within nanoseconds, making SSDs speedy storage drives indeed.

Types of SSDs

The two most common types of SSDs are SATA III and NVMe. SATA III is the older SSD type. It has a legacy connector initially designed for HDDs, and is therefore compatible with a wide range of devices. However, it is slower than the new standard, Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe), and is slowly being phased out. 

Non-Volatile Memory Express drives are faster, with lower latency and sustained read-write speeds of 2000MB per second, than SATA III drives which max out at 600MB per second. Also, NVMe drives connect to a computer through the PCIe interface rather than SATA. PCIe sockets transfer more than 25 times more data than the SATA equivalent.

Where are SSDs found?

SSDs have replaced many HDDs in desktop computers and laptops. SSDs are more expensive than HDDs (though the gap is continuously shrinking), so some computer manufacturers use smaller SSDs (combined with larger HDDs to store additional data). 

SSDs are also found in some servers. Here at A2 Hosting, we offer both SATA III and NVMe  SSD drive options.

Most of our plans offer SSD storage, but if you see the word Turbo attached to a plan name,  then it offers NVMe storage:

A2 Hosting Pricing
Any Turbo web hosting plan at A2 Hosting includes NVMe SSD storage.

What are the benefits of NVMe storage?

NVMe was developed to allow SSDs to operate at the highest speed flash memory is capable of. NVMe enables flash memory to go directly through the PCI Express (PCIe) interface. It offers high bandwidth because it’s directly attached to the CPU. Apart from its performance and speed, NVMe drives are power-efficient. In standby mode, NVMe drives barely consume any power.

The newest update of NVMe is more secure than previous releases. NVMe 2.0 uses 32/64 bit CRC (in other words, data protection expanded from 32 to 64 bits, allowing more protection for larger-scale data systems). NVMe 2.0 also maintains backward compatibility from the previous NVMe generation and works with most operating systems. 

NVMe drives are becoming the industry standard for servers, but A2 Hosting remains the leading host in fast web hosting.

Testimonials

Are you still not sure about the benefits and power of SSD hosting?

Read a few of our testimonials:

“The A2 team never ever disappoints! Speed, support, service, sales…every experience has been fantastic. I have an A2 account for myself, my current job, and even my last job. I have recommended A2 numerous times and when my reputation is on the line, I only recommend the best!” Chuck C. November 16, 2021

“A2 Hosting has been a fantastic hosting provider. The servers are fast and the support is great. I will never consider using anyone else.” Conner T. November 7, 2021

Customers appreciate our fast servers. We refresh our servers with the latest and greatest technology to provide our customers with the speediest servers on the market. To find out more about our Turbo servers, contact our sales team today.

 

 

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What’s the Difference Between Reseller and Affiliate Programs? https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/whats-the-difference-between-reseller-and-affiiate-programs/ Tue, 21 Jun 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/?p=13095 Looking for an additional hustle these days? If you’ve been loitering around the internet then chances are you might have heard about reseller and affiliate programs. And there’s no doubt …

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Looking for an additional hustle these days? If you’ve been loitering around the internet then chances are you might have heard about reseller and affiliate programs. And there’s no doubt about it, when done right, you can make some serious cash on the side from these ventures.

While both concepts have the same goals and core elements, the execution or dynamics of the two are entirely different. As a reseller, you sell a product or service under your own brand name. As an affiliate, you send leads or business opportunities to another brand for a chance of earning a commission.

Why don’t we explore these concepts a bit further?

What is a Reseller?

A reseller, as the name implies, is someone who purchases products (usually in bulk) or offers services that are not originally theirs, with the intent of selling them to their own pool of customers.

In its most basic sense, you purchase the products or services at a lower price from the original business and sell them with markup to gain profit. While anyone can be a reseller of any products or services, building your network to gain significant profit through this method may take time and a lot of sales talk. Finding a great source of what you resell is also a huge advantage, especially if you’ve already developed a good working relationship.

Say you want to start a web hosting company, for example. You lay out all the plans and the things that you need to get a decent business off the ground. But then you realize that you’ll need a large amount of capital and a lot of other things to do so.

This is where reseller hosting makes sense.

In a reseller hosting plan, you get a chance to buy hosting in bulk. This not only gives you a  lot of hosting space that you can divide into your future clients’ needs. At the same time, you also gain access to a lot of different tools that would otherwise cost you much more to acquire on your own. As a startup, that is not ideal, and most especially for a side hustle.

Also, one huge advantage of being a reseller is that you can brand everything under your own business. That’s why a reseller program does not actually force you to do something entirely different, because the way of doing business is just about the same as with a traditional one.

Pros and Cons of Reselling

With a reselling business, your startup costs are relatively low, since you don’t have to invest in most of the things that you would otherwise need to get it off the ground. As a reseller, you don’t worry about things like manufacturing. All you need to think about is how to get a steady flow of customers and orders.

Reselling should also facilitate growth in your business. You can keep a consistent flow of products and services, as long as your source does not encounter any issues themselves.

A couple of disadvantages though when it comes to reselling is that you do not have total control over the products or services that you’re going to render, since you don’t do the leg work for a lot of aspects in the business flow. When it comes to quality, you are dependent on your source.

Also, there is a possibility of being unable to resell at a competitive price. So, expect to not have a staggering amount of profit upfront. Reselling might sound easy, but depending on the profit that you want to gain, you will need to put in a lot of work.

What is an Affiliate Program?

If reselling sounds like too much work for you, then you might want to try being an affiliate. While being a reseller allows you to run your own business, as an affiliate you are essentially working as a sales rep for the business you are affiliated with.

How do you become an affiliate? Join an affiliate network of the niche you’d like to be in. You will be given a unique link just for you with a tracking code to embed on your website, content, etc.

When someone clicks on your affiliate link and makes a purchase, you make a commission. Affiliate programs work because it generally puts all actors involved in a win-win situation.

This is a great way for businesses to get a steady flow of leads and sales and at the same time, allow smaller businesses to earn off of those sales. The most widely utilized affiliate program is that of Amazon.

Pros and Cons of an Affiliate Program

With an affiliate program, how you earn is quite clear and simple. Through this side hustle, you can earn passive income and it’s quite easy to get started. You will also not have a lot of responsibilities, so it’s less work than being a reseller.

But of course, being just an affiliate, you only earn on commission which, to be honest, can’t be a lot depending on the products or services you’re linking to. Sales here are also not guaranteed.

Which One is Best for You?

So where are you at in the reseller vs affiliate debate? I think by now it’s clear what suits you best:

If you want to start a traditional business, be in control of your profit, and are willing to put in the work, then become a reseller.

If you just need a side hustle or additional passive income, then become an affiliate.

A2 Hosting’s Reseller Hosting and Affiliate Programs

With A2 Hosting’s white-labeled reseller hosting solutions, your clients are guaranteed to have faster websites on our Turbo servers, enjoy better SEO rankings, very low bounce rates, and high conversion rates. You will also be backed by a 24/7 crew of technical support and servers that guarantee 99% uptime.

And yes, we also offer an affiliate program where you are guaranteed to earn a commission every time you send a customer our way. Now that’s what we call a win-win situation.

So do you want to earn some side income? Contact us today!

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Helping Ukraine https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/helping-ukraine/ Thu, 16 Jun 2022 09:02:05 +0000 https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/?p=13171 As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth month, we continue to witness the heartbreaking impact the war has had on the Ukrainian people. This war has truly showcased the …

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As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth month, we continue to witness the heartbreaking impact the war has had on the Ukrainian people. This war has truly showcased the resilience and courage of the Ukrainian people as a whole, but even more specifically our Ukrainian colleagues.

Together with our customers, we were able to run a donation collection campaign to benefit Ukrainians impacted by the war. By the end of the campaign, we matched the collected funds and donated a total of $5700 to DC Charity Foundation, a small volunteer-operated non-profit organization where many of our staff currently volunteer. These funds will help procure much needed humanitarian aid in Poland, after which volunteers will hand deliver this aid to those in need in Ukraine.

We stand with the people of Ukraine and their loved ones as they endure incredible adversity. We will continue to take action to support our colleagues and their families impacted by the war.

 

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7 WordPress Security Attacks You Must Know https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/7-wordpress-security-attacks-you-must-know/ Tue, 14 Jun 2022 13:00:01 +0000 https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/?p=13130 WordPress, the popular open-source Content Management System (CMS), is used by 60% of all websites. However, because it is open-source and can be endlessly customized and optimized, it can be …

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WordPress, the popular open-source Content Management System (CMS), is used by 60% of all websites. However, because it is open-source and can be endlessly customized and optimized, it can be vulnerable to security flaws. According to the Common Vulnerability Score, 8 out of 10 WordPress sites have a medium or high security risk. There are methods to help prevent security attacks, but the key is to first understand the most common security threats to your WordPress sites and then learn how to keep them at bay! This blog provides you with an overview of the most common WordPress security attacks.

Common WordPress Security Attacks

Security Attack #1: Brute-force

Brute-force: In this attack, bad actors attempt to guess login information by using automated password generators.

Basic defense: Use strong passwords. For recommendations about how to generate strong passwords, see our Knowledge Base article.

Security Attack #2: Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

This is a hacking technique where malicious code from user input is injected into web pages and then viewed by site visitors. XSS attacks can potentially extract sensitive information, affect website functionality, and more.

Basic defense: Wherever a web site receives user input, the input should be filtered as strictly as possible based on the expected or valid input.

Security Attack #3: SQL injection

In this type of attack, malicious SQL statements are injected via unsanitized user input. SQL injection attacks can be used to tamper with data, extract sensitive information, and more.

Basic defense: Scan your site for SQL injection vulnerabilities using online website scanning tools like Sucuri SiteCheck.

Security Attack #4: Backdoor

A backdoor is malicious code that contains a hidden way to bypass the login or authentication process of a website.

Basic defense: Make sure your server has antivirus and firewall protection and is kept up to date. Also make sure you keep WordPress itself and any associated plugins updated with the latest security patches.

Security Attack #5: Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks

This type of attack renders a website inaccessible or unavailable to its users. For example, a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack sends traffic from multiple sources to a website, overwhelming its network connection.

Basic defense: Using a well-established Content Delivery Network (CDN) such as Cloudflare can help mitigate or even prevent these types of attacks.

Security Attack #6: Phishing 

Attackers use the phishing technique to impersonate a legitimate company, typically via email, in order to obtain personal information directly from the target. The attacker then uses the information to hack the site or commit fraud.

Basic defense: Spam filters can detect and prevent most malicious emails from reaching users’ inboxes.

Security Attack #7: Hotlinking

This is a technique where a website links directly to the targeted website’s assets, such as video or image files, in order to increase SEO ranking or to feature media without using their own server resources or bandwidth. For example, if website B hotlinks to website A’s featured image, and website B receives a lot of traffic on the page with the image, website A’s server resources are depleted, potentially affecting website A’s performance.

Basic defense: Use a plugin or Content Delivery Network (CDN) such as Cloudflare to help protect your media files.Conclusion

Conclusion

Now that you understand the various types of security threats to be aware of, consider the following root causes of why your WordPress site may be vulnerable to security breaches:

  • Your WordPress site is out of date and requires an update to the most recent version.
  • You have unused or outdated themes or plugins installed on your site, which cause compatibility issues and open up security holes.
  • Your WordPress site admin login page is still set to the default /wp-admin, making it vulnerable to brute-force attacks.

Give your site a thorough security audit, or contact the A2Hosting Guru Crew if you want to improve the security of your WordPress sites.

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What Is Free Migration in Hosting? https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/what-is-free-migration-in-hosting/ Thu, 02 Jun 2022 13:00:43 +0000 https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/?p=12996 Migration, in the world of web hosting, is the process of transferring files, databases, and emails from one server to another. It’s a necessity for any business that wants to …

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Migration, in the world of web hosting, is the process of transferring files, databases, and emails from one server to another. It’s a necessity for any business that wants to move to a new host – or for any individual who is unhappy with their current provider. 

Fortunately though, there are plenty of hosts like A2 Hosting that offer free migration assistance. This guide takes you through everything you need to know about website migration – from picking the right host, to actually completing the move. So whether you’re planning your first website migration, or just want to be better prepared for when the time comes, read on!

What is free migration in web hosting?

Web hosting migration is the process of transferring your website from one host to another without negatively affecting search engine rankings or changing your website’s appearance or functionality. 

When migrating a website, you can either do a full migration or a partial migration. In a full migration, you migrate all of your website files, databases, and other content. In a partial migration, you migrate parts of your website (for example, just emails).

A migration does not affect the existing published site. The web host essentially copies your data over to the new server: the information is duplicated, not removed from your existing server. This creates a mirror version of your website. 

To make your site active on the new host, you update the domain’s name servers to point to the new web hosting server. The entire process can take only a few hours to a couple of days, depending on how complicated the migration is. 

Why would you want to migrate your website from one host to another?

There are many reasons you might want to migrate your website to another host, including:

  1. You need better performance. Sometimes web hosting providers don’t work out. Your site isn’t performing well and you’ve tested your code for errors, but at the end of the day, you know that the problem is your web host. In this case, you’ll want to consider moving to a host who can provide faster website speeds.
  2. You need better support. Have you ever had a time when you’ve called a company’s support team, only to be placed on hold for an hour or transferred multiple times without receiving a solution? We’ve all been there. Some providers have better support than others. At A2 Hosting, we provide 24/7/365 support on live chats, tickets, and phones. Not everyone does that. 
  3. You need a less expensive plan. In the web hosting world, it’s industry-standard to purchase a plan at a lower rate. But when the contract expires, the plan price increases. If you need a cheaper plan, switching hosts might be the way to go.

There are, of course, other reasons to move from one web host to another, but these are the most common. 

Whatever your reason, when you’re considering making the switch to a new web host, you definitely want to consider cost. Some web hosting providers charge a fee to migrate your website (typically it’s around $25). 

You’ll want to ask any prospective host how much the migration may cost. The best hosts, like A2 Hosting, can do it for free.

The web hosting migration process

At A2 Hosting, we offer free migrations for your entire website. The migrated content includes:

  • Website files
  • Emails (note that we do not guarantee the entire transfer of mailboxes, as it can be incredibly time-consuming)
  • Databases
  • cPanel settings for cPanel-based accounts.

A migration takes around 24-48 hours to complete, but the site is not down during the process. Your site stays live on your old server until you choose to point the domain name servers over to the new host. 

If you’re not sure how to migrate your site, here’s an inside look at the migration process:

  1. Purchase a web hosting package from our website. If you’re not sure which plan to buy, please consult our guide or contact our sales team here. 
  2. Log into the A2 Hosting customer portal.
  3. Click Support, and then click Migrations. The My Migrations Tickets page appears.
  4. Click Request a Migration.
  5. Provide the requested information. If you aren’t sure how to fill out some of the fields, you may need to contact your current hosting provider for this information.
  6. Agree to the Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy, and then click Continue to Step 2.
  7. In the Choose Service box, select the service to migrate your content. 
  8. Click Continue to Step 3.
  9. Provide the requested information, and then click Submit Migration Request.
  10. We notify you when the migration is complete. The entire process takes around 24-48 hours. 

Important: We highly recommend testing your website on our servers before changing your domain’s name server settings. To do this, you can use the shared URL for your account. The shared URL enables you to view the site without using the account’s domain name. For more information, please see this article.

Wrapping up

We know that moving your website to a different host can be daunting. A2 Hosting is committed to making the process as easy and painless for you as possible, so we have put together this guide on how to migrate your site with us in a few simple steps! Have questions? Contact one of our sales representatives today- they are standing by ready to answer any question or concern you may have about migrating your website to us. With over 20 years of experience in web hosting, our team knows what it takes to make sure all of your files are transferred successfully from one platform onto another with minimal service disruption. If there is anything else we can do for you while helping transition your website to our servers, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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What is Reseller Hosting? – Top 10 FAQs https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/what-is-reseller-hosting-top-10-faqs/ Tue, 12 Apr 2022 13:06:29 +0000 https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/?p=13101 Reselling is a collaborative partnership where companies allow third parties to sell their products as one of their own. By doing this, they expand their reach beyond their company’s target …

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Reselling is a collaborative partnership where companies allow third parties to sell their products as one of their own. By doing this, they expand their reach beyond their company’s target audience and reach more people.

The concept of reselling has become increasingly popular due to the convenience it offers to companies, and the high number of sales generated through the partnership. However, some people may be hesitant to participate in reselling due to a lack of knowledge in the field. If you are an aspiring web hosting reseller looking to invest time in a new business opportunity, then read on to learn more!

Frequently Asked Questions About Being a Reseller

1. What is Reseller Hosting?

Running a web hosting company involves many things — acquiring and maintaining IT infrastructure, billing and managing customers, and much more. Needless to say, all of this also requires a lot of capital.

But with reseller hosting, you can provide web hosting services to your customers without all of the overhead and headaches of setting up and running an entire IT company. The “parent” company provides the digital infrastructure, freeing you (the reseller) to focus on creating, maintaining, and expanding your customer base. Even better, with white-label reseller hosting plans, you can brand everything under your own business name and logo.

2.   How Do I Become a Reseller?

To become a web hosting reseller, find a company that you are interested in partnering with. Make sure you find a reliable and trusted company, like A2 Hosting. Feel free to contact us — we are happy to help and answer your questions!

3.   Who Can Become a Reseller?

Anyone can become a reseller. If you are a driven and motivated individual, then you are the perfect candidate. As long as you are willing to learn and determined to succeed, then we are happy to welcome you as a reseller.

4.   Why Should I Become a Reseller?

Reselling is a great way to gain business experience, such as.

  • How to sell a product.
  • How to advertise your services.
  • How to run a business.
  • … and much more!

If you are looking to start your own business, or want to build your reputation and expertise to explore other business opportunities, then reseller hosting may be a good fit for you. You are able to gain necessary experience while generating your own revenue.

5.   How Much Capital do I Need?

This typically depends on the company you are collaborating with. Many companies offer flexible packages that allow a reseller to pick and choose from their list of options depending on their budget. There are companies that also permit resellers to build their own packages in terms of variety and quantity to personalize their experience.

At A2 Hosting, we have a variety of reseller plans to help you launch your web hosting business.

6.   How Much is the Profit?

The profit depends solely on how well you do. You set your own profit margins and quotas. Work within your limits and try your best to surpass them if you can.

7.   Do I Need My Own Domain Name?

As a web hosting reseller, you should have your own domain name. The domain name is an important part of your company’s identity.

If you do not have a domain name yet, make sure you read our tips for choosing an effective domain name.

8.   How Do I Create my Own Packages and Prices?

Many resellers use WebHost Manager (WHM) to create and manage account packages. For the billing and customer account management side of your business, WHMCS and Blesta are popular choices.

9.   How Can I Succeed as a Reseller?

As with most things, it all comes down to how hard you work. If you are new to reselling, it can all seem a bit overwhelming at first. Like any business, reseller hosting requires hard work and perseverance. But it can also be very rewarding, and profitable at the same time.

10. Where Do I Start?

Start by contacting us today! We are always ready to welcome new resellers. We can help you get your web hosting business off the ground and guide you through the initial setup process.

Take the next step into unlocking your potential by working with us!

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3 Tips for Embedding & Adding Video into Your Website https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/incorporating-video-into-your-website/ Fri, 08 Apr 2022 04:35:58 +0000 https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/?p=10511 Modern websites are multimedia-rich experiences. The days when you could get away with pages full of text and no images or videos are gone. If you shy away from using …

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Modern websites are multimedia-rich experiences. The days when you could get away with pages full of text and no images or videos are gone. If you shy away from using video on your site, you’re missing out on a fantastic marketing opportunity.

However, if you know how to incorporate video into your website, you can use it to maximize engagement and drive conversions. With the right approach, video can act as a powerful Call To Action (CTA).

In this article, we’ll talk about some of the latest video content trends, and then go over three tips to incorporate videos into your website. Let’s get to it!

What the Latest Video Content Trends Are

It’s likely that many of your users spend a significant part of their day watching videos on one platform or another. On average, users consume around 100 minutes of video per day. If you can seize even a fraction of that time through your content, it can help increase conversions.

If the primary goal of your videos is to drive sales or conversions, shorter is usually better. Despite the massive amounts of video content that customers consume, it’s safe to say that attention spans are getting shorter. At the end of 2019, up to 66 percent of video ads were approximately 30 seconds long. Although that might sound short, there’s a lot that you can say about a product or service in half a minute.

Thanks to the rise of social media stories and platforms such as TikTok, users are getting increasingly comfortable with shorter video ads as a part of their online experience. Moreover, there’s massive interest in User-Generated Content (UGC). If you can get consumers to share their experiences with your products or services in video format, that’s a huge marketing win.

There’s also a growing interest in educational videos. If your website focuses on online learning, video is a channel that you can tap into to expand your audience.

3 Tips for Incorporating Video into Your Website

If you’re ready to start incorporating videos into your website, there are several factors that can help you maximize their effectiveness. Let’s look at three tips you can use to make the most of your video strategy.

1. Add an Intro that Highlights Your Brand

If you go to your favorite YouTube channel right now and open a random video, we’re willing to bet it has an intro:

An example of a logo before a video.

The goal of intros isn’t to pad video length, but to take the opportunity to reinforce brand awareness. An intro can accomplish that in several ways, including:

  • Reminding you of the brand’s name
  • Showcasing the brand’s logo
  • Reinforcing the brand’s style and the type of content it focuses on

In this case, your website or business is the brand. Even if your videos are only 30 seconds long, adding a short intro that includes your name and the site’s logo can only benefit you. This is particularly the case when users end up watching those videos outside of your website.

Depending on which video marketing tools you use, adding intros to your content might be easier than you think. A lot of tools provide you with templates that you can use and edit, as well as the ability to upload your logo and incorporate it into the video.

2. Choose a Performance-Oriented Hosting Provider

If you plan on uploading videos directly to your server, you should use a performance-oriented web host. A lot of websites choose the cheapest hosting provider they can find, which often translates to slow loading times and a frustrating User Experience (UX).

If visitors have to spend minutes waiting for a video to load, and then wait for it to buffer every two seconds, they are much less likely to watch it in full. Even worse, that poor user experience can reflect badly on the rest of your website.

To ensure the best video experience, we recommend avoiding shared web hosting. At the very least, you’ll want to use a Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting plan, which in most cases provides better performance as well as dedicated resources for your website.

3. Create Videos that Target Your Website’s Audience

You probably have a pretty good idea of who your website’s target audience is, such as:

  • Where your users are visiting from
  • The average age of your audience
  • What their interests are and what content they want to see or read about

This information is critical for video creation. You can have an amazing idea for a marketing video, but if it doesn’t speak to your website’s audience, it won’t get the results you want. In other words, the video won’t get you conversions.

When you’re working on video content for your website, it’s important to consider whether it’s something your audience will be interested in. If the video provides or promises solutions and answers to questions they might have, it will likely succeed in its goal.

Conclusion

Knowing what the latest video content trends are is a solid starting point for creating your own media. Your website is the perfect channel to deliver those videos because it already has a built-in audience, some of whom may appreciate a different kind of content.

If you’re not sure how to approach video creation, you can start off on the right foot by keeping the following three tips in mind:

  1. Add an intro that highlights your brand.
  2. Choose a performance-oriented web hosting provider.
  3. Create videos that target your website’s audience.

Do you have any questions about how to incorporate video into your website? Let’s talk about them in the comments section below!

Image credit: Pixabay.

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