In today's modern world the internet moves fast, and you can't afford to be left behind. Understanding that your website is your online storefront is key to making sure your website is up to date both visually and technologically. You may love the design that was developed a few years ago but what about your new and current customers? Let’s take a fresh look at three ways your outdated website is hurting your business.

Loss of customers

When your website is outdated it can also suggest to potential customers that your business is outdated. In 2019, where people live through their phones and can find anything they need anywhere, anytime, it’s important to stay up to date with current trends and be the business that everyone surfs the web for. It is a high priority that your website evolves and grows with your business. If your website content is not in line with your brand, then your business may be losing customers.

Your competitors look like they know what they are on about

Your competitors' websites are current, up to date and are excelling in a world where people are attracted by iconography first and the tone of your content second - ultimately, these customers are going to your competitors because they look good. Your competitors have great graphic design, amazing web content and brilliant app development. This then tells your customers the competitor knows what they are on about more than you.

You are not at the top of your customers' search engine

Not updating your content regularly results in your business dropping in search results, which leads to no new business. Making sure your website is optimised with regular content creation, web hosting and search engine optimisation is imperative to keeping your website up to date.

Not sure where to start? Let Canberra Web help you bring your website up to date. Canberra Web are a team of experts that build and maintain websites, keeping it current, on trend and search engine optimised. Call us today for the best web design, SEO, web hosting, graphic design and content creation Canberra has to offer.

Hiring the right web design company is extremely important since the future of your brand depends on the company you choose. A cheap or lousy website will have a negative reflection on your firm. Even if the site is of great design, it might not be custom-made. Listed are four critical things you need to consider when choosing a web design company:

Website hosting and domain name registration

Choosing a web design firm with an all-in-one package that contains secure website hosting and website domain registration means you will have fewer things to think about. It will provide you with more time to focus on your business. Any expert will understand and know the importance of web design.

Has a broad design portfolio

You need to take your time and go through the web design firms previous projects including both the custom built sites and DIY websites. Check if they have vast experience in designing sites relating to your industry. For instance, if you are launching a service company, going to a development company that specializes in e-commerce websites will not be the best choice.

Levels of experience

The numbers of website development companies have tremendously increased in the recent past. It is therefore advisable to go for a company with years of experience since it will provide you with confidence that your project will be in good hands. Inexperienced companies are bound to make mistakes and take longer to complete a project.

Have good references

Before you make a final decision, it is advisable that you contact previous customers who have used the same web design company you are about to hire. Inquire about what they think about the company and if they would hire them again for future projects. Ask previous customers questions concerning the company that you feel are relevant in helping you determine if they offer the right services.

Having a website is an excellent investment since it will help open your brand to new opportunities. The Internet is a very competitive market, and you need the best company that will use the right techniques and technology. For more information on the factors listed above, or for the best web design Canberra has to offer, get in contact today!

Is it fast? Is it functioning correctly? Is my API available? These are some of the things to look out for in monitoring your website’s uptime. The slightest delay in page response can significantly reduce conversion rates. Here are five reasons why you should monitor your website.

1. For best search results ranking

Search rankings are significantly affected by both the speed and the downtime of your website. Constant downtime issues that last for a day or more can result in Google ranking you poorly in their search results. Monitoring can ensure that such problems are resolved in the shortest time possible and that you obtain the best search results ranking.

2. To keep customers happy

Happy and satisfied customers keep coming back. Web hosting in Canberra can assure high levels of uptime; so that clients with subscriptions and those that access services from your website are not disappointed. Downtime issues that remain unresolved for a prolonged period can negatively affect customer satisfaction. Remember that your competitors are just a click away.

3. To detect hackers fast

Hackers can gain unauthorised access, set up malicious codes, and derail your website’s uptime. Monitoring your website ensures that hacking is detected fast and further access is denied. The consequences of minutes of downtime can never be underestimated.

4. To protect brand image

A positive brand image is critical to the success of any business and protecting it is vital. The user experience on your website can significantly define the life or death of your brand image. The reputation of your online business can be jeopardised by frequent downtimes. Continually monitoring the website is the best way to safeguard your image and prevent potential hazards.

5. To evaluate your hosting company

Monitoring your site’s loading speed and its uptime can tell you a lot about your current hosting company. Poor infrastructure can result in downtime for unacceptable periods and may mean that it is time to search for quality web hosting in Canberra.

Canberra Web has a specialised team of web designers that build and maintain websites. We handle graphic design, web development, content creation, search engine optimisation, and web hosting. Call us today for all your website needs in Canberra.

You may have some ideas for your established website which will improve its look or functionality, or perhaps you’re just starting out and you have some great ideas for a new website; but have you considered that those brilliant ideas can become a major challenge without the expertise and understanding required of how web hosting and web hosting companies work?

With that in mind, here are 5 important features that a great web hosting company should provide.

PHP script

In simple terms, this is the script used to develop both static and dynamic websites. Given that this is the most popular website script currently on the market, it’s not surprising that most web hosting companies will offer this.

SQL script hosting

Not sure what this is? SQL is used to communicate with a database, and because it's needed to update data, or retrieve data from a database, it’s essential that the web hosting company you choose can provide SQL script hosting.

Additional domain names

If in the future, you’d like to have additional websites as your original site grows and expands, it’s important that you ensure any prospective web hosting company can provide multiple domain names to web hosting accounts.

CGI scripting

Although this is the PHP script of the past, CGI scripting is still necessary at this time when it comes to successful web hosting. Although many web hosting companies offer CGI as their default script, it's always better to select a company that offers both CGI and PHP scripts until CGI eventually becomes obsolete.

Monitoring tools

There’s no point in having a fantastic looking website if you can’t access statistics and monitor the performance of your business. Monitoring tools are critical to the growth of your business as they will enable you to quickly identify any areas that need improvement, and most professional web hosting companies will offer some form of monitoring tools.

Your website can not only look amazing but will function perfectly by simply contacting an expert in web hosting Canberra businesses can rely on.

Canberra Web is your local web hosting company who not only host but design, build and maintain superior websites. So, while Canberra Web’s expert team provide you with the highest level of service, you can focus on managing your business. But best of all, this premium service is available at an affordable price; what more could you ask for?

As a business owner in this digital age, you know that a high-quality website that runs quickly and displays well on the most commonly used browsers is an absolute must. You probably also already know that you’re not going to get this if you use a free online website builder. When it comes to quality website design, you definitely get what you pay for. But a website isn’t the only thing your business needs.

Your website needs exceptional graphics and high-quality, accurate content that is optimised for search engines (referred to as Search Engine Optimisation or SEO). If you want a good reach (and who doesn’t?), you’ll also need social media marketing. For those of you trading online, a reliable and robust e-commerce system is a must and for those of you with a physical presence, you’ll benefit from print marketing in addition to your online presence. You might even be in the market for some app development.

I can hear you thinking that sourcing a specialist for each of these discrete services is a daunting task. You’re probably already feeling overwhelmed by the thought of having to find the time to hunt down providers that will not only do a good job but will also work seamlessly with each other to ensure a consistent brand for your business. Well, stop right there! You don’t need to spend days or weeks researching the best providers. Here at Canberra Web, we provide every one of those services and more.

Our specialists not only excel at providing quality products in each of the above service areas, they also work together seamlessly as a team to ensure a hassle-free experience. No matter where you’re located we can service this wide range of needs remotely but for those of you in the Canberra area, you can talk to our staff in person for that extra, personal touch.

So if you need services that cover one or more of web design, web hosting, app development, graphic design, digital marketing, and print, and most especially if you’re looking for a provider in Canberra, then look no further than Canberra Web. Call us today or come in for a visit - you’ll be so happy you did.

Inexperienced internet users might assume that choosing any old host will be sufficient in keeping their business' website afloat. However, this isn't the case and choosing a cheap and cheerful option without any regard for quality might just be your downfall. Here's why you should make sure your host is keeping your site secure:

Hackers can do some serious damage

Many small businesses fail to see hackers as a threat. After all, surely they're busy targetting larger and more well-known companies? But the fact is anyone can become a victim of cybercrime, and it's the smaller businesses that suffer the most. Forbes reported that cyber attacks can do more harm than fires and floods, meaning many SMEs may fold completely under the pressure. This isn't just a matter of lost funds, but of a damaged reputation too. It's hard to rebuild a customer base that doesn't trust you to protect their information, so risking a hack just isn't worth it.

Customers care about security

It's easier than you think for a customer to tell if your site is secure with the widely popularised SSL certificate. All a user needs to do is check for the https:// and lock symbol and they'll know if the site they're on is secure. This is especially important for eCommerce, but even sites that prompt users to input contact details should be protected. Many customers will leave a site without an SSL certificate, meaning you will lose out on sales if you don't have one.

DDOS attacks cause more than just delays

Many people know that DDOS attacks result in your site going down, but uptime is incredibly important. Many visitors to your site won't have the patience to wait more than a few seconds for it to respond, so if your website is down for hours or even days, that's valuable profit you'll never get back. Regular customers may become frustrated if this happens often, so it's important to protect yourself from any kind of hack.

Get in touch with Canberra Web

For secure hosting Canberra wide, get in touch with the professional, friendly team here at Canberra Web. Your site will always be backed up and kept safe, so you never need to worry about your data being lost for good.

We have many requests from clients asking us to explain web hosting to them. In this article, we provide information on web hosting Canberra businesses that are thinking of investing in a website may find useful.

What is web hosting?

The simplest analogy is to use your business' physical location. Imagine if you were running a convenience store. You have a physical shop where customers can go to make their purchases. Likewise, if you want to offer your products or services online, you will need a server (or host) where your business can be found by customers.

The web host (or web service provider) provides the technologies and services that will enable your website to be viewed by prospective customers. All a customer has to do is to key in your business name or domain address (URL) in the browser.

Which web hosting is best for your business?

The most important thing for businesses to do is to select the right company to host their website. Your web designer is the best person to advise you if you are not familiar with the concept of web development and web hosting. Three important factors to consider when selecting your web hosting server are the traffic you are aiming for, the budget you have and the features you want.

Shared Hosting – your website is sharing the same server with hundreds of other websites. It is more affordable but comes with less bandwidth, support, and features.

Virtual Private Server Hosting (VPS) – still a sharing server but with the ability to customise and will cost more. They are cloud-based and are highly scalable.

Dedicated Hosting – the server is customised to the business. They are expensive options but you have total control.

Managed Hosting – the hosting server provider looks after all the backend processes to ensure that the server is running smoothly. For example, managed WordPress hosting, the hosting provider will look after all the technical processes including installing WordPress core files, linking SQL, managing themes, plugins and so forth.

Choosing the right web host is an important process in planning and designing the best website for your business. Taking the time to consult your web designer can help you avoid a host of problems later on.

Canberra's web hosting professionals use many methods to ensure your website runs smoothly and remains immune to crashes. Maintenance, backup, and outside threats affect websites daily and become costly to businesses offering services and information online. Canberra Web offers face-to-face consultations with specialists on how your business can stay online without any trouble. Located only 10 kilometres from Canberra CBD, Canberra Web offers a range of web hosting, design and content services.

Servers shouldn’t run at max capacity

Like all machines, servers need maintenance too. While they can run at full capacity, they are still susceptible to interference and crashes. This is why optimal web hosting services always run two servers and never one, as it lets both servers handle tasks and assist each other in providing quality, error-free web hosting and optimal customer experience for Canberra residents and businesses.

They can call for backup

Although professional web hosting services in Canberra use quality, state-of-the-art servers, even the best can crash at times. This is because servers require backups, maintenance and may be attacked by hackers and malicious software. Extra backup allows error-free web hosting services that businesses can rely on, allowing each server the support to perform maintenance and backup without losing full operation of their website.

It’s what the big websites do

Large web hosting services run multiple servers instead of putting all their power into one single server. This ensures reliability and performance without the chance of mishaps and going offline. And while upgrades are still possible while running multiple servers (scaling vertically), adding more servers (scaling horizontally) is the preferred method used by professionals to ensure quality and reliability.

Leave it to the professionals

Businesses around Canberra hosting their websites on two servers allows peace of mind with weekly backups so no information is lost, disruption-free hosting and protection against viruses, hackers and hardware failure. Let Canberra Web handle your web hosting and other online needs with a 99.9% guarantee on uptime, free setup and software, two separate servers with every package, unlimited bandwidth and ultimate protection on your investment- only 10 km from Canberra CBD. For web hosting Canberra residents can rely on, you've come to the right place.