Most sites do not have a robots.txt file created. However it can certainly have benefits in terms of controlling which web page content will be indexed by search engines. Likewise if you do not want to allow specific crawlers or folders to be indexed you can also add restrictions.

All you need to do is add a new file to the root of your website. If you are using a Sitemap file you can also link to it in your Robots.txt file so that it will be easier to find. Not having a robots file will also increase your 404 page not found errors because search engines will request this file first.

Here are some examples:

1. Standard Robots.txt template to allow everything, allow all robots and all files.

User-agent: *
Disallow:

2. This example keeps all robots out (you may want to use on a web application login landing page):

User-agent: *
Disallow: /

3. More often than not you will want to restrict specific folders from being indexed as well:

User-agent: *
Disallow: /images/
Disallow: /private/

4. Linking to your sitemap file.

User-agent: *
Sitemap: http://www.example.com/sitemap.xml  # tell the bots where your sitemap is located/

For more information or to generate your own Robots.txt file visit Google’s support section.

Image Credit: davedehetre (via Flickr)

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Jan 14th, 2012 starting at 10PM CT

Since this is a planned data center migration it is a bit more involved then our standard maintenance windows and there will be an expected down time for your website. We will contact each of our customers that are impacted by this data center migration move and will provide you with information to keep you up to date and informed.

During this time the expected impact includes the following:

- During this time your website will likely experience some down time in the evening hours

- The website control panel you use to make changes including will be inaccessible

As part of this change we will be moving over to new IP addresses. If your domain name is currently using the following two new name servers your IP address for your website will be updated automatically. Name severs affected: dns1.stabletransit.com and dns2.stabletransit.com

Important: If you are using another domain name server (DNS) you will need to update your IP address manually. We will be contacting all of our impacted customers to provide the details and your new IP address.

Note: FavorHosting customers with a domain name only will not be affected by this change.

We realize that downtime is unavoidable but we want to make sure all of our customers are well informed and notified in advance of this change. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to our Support Team at support @ favorhosting.com

We value all of our customers and want to make this transition as seamless as possible.

Sincerely,

The FavorHosting Team

UPDATE: As of Jan 15 at 4:47AM ET the web hosting migration is still under way.  Some websites are coming up again, and some of the Databases are still not yet available.  We will continue to provide updates.

UPDATE: As of Jan 15 at 6AM CT the migration has been complete. Please contact support if you see anything out of the ordinary. Thank you for your patience!

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WordPress can be very helpful for managing your website content, or publishing a blog. However since WordPress is so prevalent on the internet now it has also become a target for hackers. FavorHosting has helped customers who have had compromised websites. We also offer WordPress Consulting services to help you get back up and running. In some cases we have also helped customers who have had their website delisted by Google for having security or malware issues which usually mean they have been compromised. If you see a browser warning when you visit your website chances are good that you may been blacklisted by Google’s search engine.

In this particular case we recommend using a free website scanner called Sucuri SiteCheck which can help identify how big the problem is and which page on your website has been flagged.

Scanning WordPress sites for vulnerabilities usually focuses on targeting your WordPress plugins because those are created by third party developers and are not always kept up to date. But there are ways to safeguard against these types of security threats.

Security specific WordPress Plugins

1. BulletProof Security

   BulletProof Security protects your website from XSS, RFI, CSRF, Base64, Code Injection and SQL Injection hacking attempts

2. WP Security Scan

   WP Security Scan checks your WordPress website/blog for security vulnerabilities and suggests corrective actions

3. WordPress File Monitor

   WordPress File Monitor – monitors your WordPress installation for any added, deleted or changed files.

4. Ultimate Security Checker

   Ultimate Security Checker helps you identify security problems with your WordPress installation.

For flexible website hosting or wordpress hosting please contact FavorHosting.

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We all use domain names on a daily basis in one way or another, whether it be to search, look up a company website, read a blog or connect with friends on a social media environment.

When starting a business of your own, getting the right domain name is very important. All businesses will need some sort of online presence in its existence and getting the right domain name for your company early is crucial.

Over the next few weeks, we here at FavorHosting will show you the steps necessary to choosing the right domain name for your company.

Your ideal domain name scenario consists of four things and the more you are able to fulfill when choosing your domain name, the more successful it will be for your company.

Your domain name should:
1) Be the same as your business name or a keyword
2) Be short
3) Be memorable
4) Be easy to spell

If it is possible incorporate ALL of these into your domain name because the last thing you want is a domain name that is a long, hard to spell, forgettable domain name that has absolutely nothing to do with your business or field you are in.

As you may be aware, there are millions upon millions of domain names already taken so your imagination is definitely key to picking a good name. It is time to get creative !

In part II, we will show you the steps necessary to picking the right domain name for your company.

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With more and more websites being created using WordPress, it is no wonder that WordPress has become the target of hackers. Therefore we wanted to pull together a list of steps you can take to better secure your WordPress websites.

1) Protecting against script injection

One of the more common methods for compromising a WordPress system is by trying to inject other code which could reference external scripts on other websites. Or even cause your web page to redirect to a different website.
Solution: Modify your .htaccess file to block these type of patterns by checking for specify query strings. However always backup your .htaccess file before making changes.

<pre>Options +FollowSymLinks</pre>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\<|%3C).*script.*(\>|%3E) [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} GLOBALS(=|\[|\%[0-9A-Z]{0,2}) [OR]
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} _REQUEST(=|\[|\%[0-9A-Z]{0,2})
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php [F,L]

Source:
Protect your WordPress blog using .htaccess

2) Protect your Plugins Directory

Since WordPress has over  10,000 plugins to extend it’s functionality, and there have already been 100 Million downloads of these plugins, sometimes these popular plugins have security weaknesses of their own. Most website owners running WordPress will remember to protect WordPress as much as possible, however the plugins directory is often times overlooked.

Solution: By protecting the plugin directory itself and only allowing certain files to be requested you can prevent other people from trying to access these plugins files directly using another .htaccess method.

NOTE: Make sure you add the following inside of the Plugins directory and not in the root directory. Example: /wp-content/plugins

<Files ~ "\.(js|css)$">
  order allow,deny
  allow from all
</Files>

Source:
WordPress tip: Quickly secure plugin files

3) Create a Plugin to Protect Against Long Query Strings and Script Injection

One of the most common ways for inserting content into a page is to try and submit it through the query string at the end of they website address in the URL text field for the web browser. By checking for this scenario using the plugin you can help to prevent these types of attacks.

Solution: Create a file called “blockbadqueries.php” using the following code snippet, and then upload it to the /wp-content/plugins folder. And now activate this new plugin.

<?php
/*
Plugin Name: Block Bad Queries
Plugin URI: http://perishablepress.com/press/2009/12/22/protect-wordpress-against-malicious-url-requests/
Description: Protect WordPress Against Malicious URL Requests
Author URI: http://perishablepress.com/
Author: Perishable Press
Version: 1.0
*/

global $user_ID;

if($user_ID) {
  if(!current_user_can('level_10')) {
    if (strlen($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']) > 255 ||
      strpos($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], "eval(") ||
      strpos($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], "CONCAT") ||
      strpos($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], "UNION+SELECT") ||
      strpos($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], "base64")) {
        @header("HTTP/1.1 414 Request-URI Too Long");
	@header("Status: 414 Request-URI Too Long");
	@header("Connection: Close");
	@exit;
    }
  }
}
?>

Source:
Protect WordPress Against Malicious URL Requests

4) Install a WordPress Security Plugin

Probably the easiest recommendation would be to install a WordPress specific security plugin to help you both scan your current installation and make recommendations.

Plugin Name: WP Security Scan
Visit the WP Security plugin website for more  information.

Image Credit: CarbonNYC (via Flickr)

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• Spelling and Typos
  Sometimes we rush to get new information posted on our website or publish a new blog post without re-reading or editing it first.
• About Page
  An about page will most likely be the first tabs that visitors will click on when they are first visting your website to learn more about you. How the about page is written will make a difference if it is boiler plate information no one will read through it. However if you start a dialogue as if you were speaking to a new customer face to face your personality will come through. First impressions make a difference in establishing trust.
• Third-Party Testimonials
  Although referred to in the original list as endorsements the simple step of adding testimonials from credible well known brands, or from like businesses will help. For example if I am a landscaper and you have a testimonial from another landscaper or garden center that means something to your potential buyer. It also shows everyone that you have been vetted by a trusted third party and are a legitimate  business.
• Recently Updated
  If your content is stale, or if you have not updated the copyright footer to display the current year your website could have been abandoned. And may no longer appear trustworthy. Similarly if you are in retail your storefront experience is judged just as your merchandise or website might be too. Having a current newsletter link, blog post, or even a news reel can definitely help. If you can not find time to update your website and maintain fresh content FavorDesign (a division of FavorHosting) can help with low monthly rates.
• Guarantees
  We have seen great success with our own FavorHosting Guarantee since not everyone is going to be comfortable working with a new company they are not familiar with. And by offering a guarantee we show we stand behind our products and services and would rather refund a customer than leave with a customer having a bad experience.
• SSL Certificates
  If you are going to be taking sales online there are a few things you may be interested in displaying on your website. Including a Secure Site seal, or perhaps a Validated Identity badge. Some websites have even adopted the McAfee Secure badge that shows your website is being scanned for potential threats.
• Recognized Credit Card Processing Imagery
  Showing which credit cards you accept with a logo is a common practice within retail stores as well as on your website. If you accept Visa, Master Card, AMEX, Interac, or Paypal there are usually recognized buttons and imagery to show which cards you are authorized to accept. Doing so will also help customers see that you have been validated by these payment providers and further establishes trust.

More Information

You may also be interested in an earlier post about influencing purchase decisions:
Research Shows Websites Influence 97% of Clients’ Purchasing Decisions

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Step 1: Make sure that if you already have Google Analytics installed on your website that the JavaScript is placed at the top (just after the first tag).

Note: Usually Google Analytics is inserted at the bottom of pages for faster page loads.

After you have confirmed Google Analytics is being used by your website you can then add the tracking code to the pages you want to track specific events.

Example:
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'XX-XXXXXXXX-X']); (Account number will be unique)
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

Step 2: Tracking a link clicked on your website

In order to track links that were clicked on your website you just need to add a javascript code snippet to your hyperlink.

Example:
<a href=”http://www.example.com” onClick=”_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'Category', 'Action']);”>Example</a>
Both Category and Action are required parameters for indicating the category being tracked, and the action is the specific action you are tracking.

Step 3: Tracking a Form being Submitted

In order to track how many times your signup form, or contact form has been used you need to add another tracking code to your form html source.

Example:
onSubmit=”_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'Contact Form', 'Submit']);”

Where ‘Contact Form’ is used to track which contact form is being tracked. The onSubmit event must be within your

That is pretty much all you need to get going with tracking your events using Google Analytics.

Viewing the results inside of Google Analytics

Under the Content menu there is a submenu for Event Tracking as shown here:

With easy to access reports for all of the events being tracked as shown here:

Visit Google Analytics for more information.

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A poll of 300 small businesses found that while 80% believe it is important to appear on the first page of Google search rankings to attract traffic, more than a third rarely or never update their website content.

In a recent survey conducted by Infoserve, they found small businesses were not updating their own website content.  So, what are the easiest ways to keep your website fresh with new content so you don’t have to do too much work? Well there are few things, you could add a news section, add a blog, add a twitter feed if you are already using twitter so that updates appear on your site. If you have a company newsletter or email newsletter you can add archived content on your website.

The key to getting found in search engines is content, and even more importantly is having new and fresh content that search engines will find. Why? Because how old a web page is used to rank how relevant a search result is to the searched word or phrase. If you go to your favorite search engine and search for your website or company name do you see new content? Or old content? You will most likely see content sorted by date as well.

If you need any more convincing visit your competitor’s websites and see what ideas they have incorporated to make sure they have fresh content on their websites.

Need Help Maintaining your Website?

FavorDesign is a service provided by FavorHosting for helping busy business owners to manage and update website content. With low monthly pricing for ensuring regular updates, or pay as you go pricing.

Take a look at our services brochure for more information on how FavorDesign can help you keep your website up to date.

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You want to think about where your most important information is going to be; whether that be on your home page or on an interior web page. Where the main and secondary navigation menus will live. Depending on your ultimate goals you may want to keep information organized a certain way. Just like when you are designing your advertising or promotional flyer you need to make sure your information is going to be emphasized appropriately and presented in a certain order.

In fact to get to the final version you will usually go through some revisions and samples. With that in mind think about the same exercise applied to your web site design. Where do you start? Usually most people would start sketching on paper to see how the design should be developed. However before sending your designer off to complete the final product it is always a good idea to make sure you all agree on this overall plan.

Now that we have covered why you would spend some time understanding why it is important to mock up your website first. Lets get into some online tools which you can use to help you.

Tools you can use to Mockup your Website:

Mockingbird

Mockingbird allows you to design mockups on the screen. Including the ability to create, preview and link buttons to actions so you can visualize how the website will function from page to page. As well as being easy to use and not intimidating for first time users.

OmniGraffle

OmniGraffle helps you to make visually appealing diagrams and user work flows specifically designed for Apple computers. Microsoft Visio files can also be imported and exported for easy sharing of your stunning diagrams.

Balsamiq

Balsamiq is designed to mimic the pen and paper sketches on a computer screen. Which is probably why it has been proven to be so popular as a mock up tool. You can easily rearrange elements and undo your work without having to redraw the whole thing again on paper. Using Balsamiq will save hours of frustration trying to get through your website mock up excercise.

MockFlow

MockFlow includes a library of pre-made library of templates to help get you started. Free plans exist as well as paid versions for more functionality.

MockupScreens

Mockup Screens is all about sketching up your website design in a collaborative fashion. Including feedback and sharing your work with others to comment on. Helping you to seek feedback on your website navigation and user experience before you even get into discussions of what color looks best.

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For more information on what a Facebook Fan page is and how to get started for your business visit:   Do you need a Facebook Fan Page for your business?

The following proposed solution, relies on your website being able to support a PHP file, which most web hosting vendors support as standard. The source code required to make this work is located on www.webdigi.co.uk and you will need to upload these files to your own website for this to work.

What you need to do is go to your Google Analytics account and create a new domain name / website to track so that you get your profile id to track traffic to your Facebook fan page. Then after doing that you can go to your Facebook fan page and add an FBML page. Once you have created a new FBML page then you can add your new FBML to your Wall, by selecting “Move to Wall”.

The code you will need to add to your Fan page will look something like this (remember to link it to your website address):

<img src='http://[yourdomain name]/fbga.php?googlecode=[google profile id]&
googledomain=facebook.com/[the page you are tracking]&
pagelink=[which url]&pagetitle=[page title]'>

You will need to replace the following paramaters in the URL for the image above.

• [google profile id] is where you specify your Google Profile ID

• [the page you are tracking] is the page you are tracking ex. www.facebook.com/favorhosting

• [which url] is where you specify the “/contact” or URI

• [page title] is where you specify the Page title for the page being tracked

Because we are using an image to track page views the visitors to your Facebook fan page will be counted within your Google Analytics account. After you all done setting this up, you will need to wait 24 hours or so before your statistics start updating in your Google Analytics account. But now you can sit back and watch your traffic increase knowing you will be able to monitor the popularity of your Facebook fan page.

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