Latest news with #GoogleSearchConsole
Time Business News
5 days ago
- Business
- Time Business News
From Zero to Traffic: How We Grew Our Blog Organically
Growing a niche blog without paid ads or viral hacks is challenging, but entirely possible with the right foundational strategies. Starting from scratch, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by keyword competition, algorithm shifts, and low initial visibility. However, consistent execution of the right techniques can build steady organic traffic over time. This guide breaks down the exact methods used to grow the boring magazine blog organically from zero traffic. These aren't quick fixes, they're sustainable approaches anyone can apply, regardless of industry. The first step is selecting a clear, focused niche. Instead of covering broad topics like 'health' or 'tech,' drilling down into specific verticals, such as 'home measurement guides' or 'celebrity stats'—helps reduce competition and establish topical authority. Once the niche is set, content is organized into topic clusters. These clusters contain a main 'pillar page' (e.g., a complete guide) supported by smaller, specific subtopics. This structure makes it easier for both search engines and users to navigate content. Tip: Use keyword research tools to find informational queries that signal interest but have low to medium competition. Then map them into clusters before publishing a single post. Organic growth relies heavily on targeting keywords with clear search intent. Most early blogs fail by targeting high-volume keywords with commercial or ambiguous intent. Instead, focus on: Informational keywords (e.g., 'how big is 8 inches') (e.g., 'how big is 8 inches') Navigational queries (e.g., '[brand name] contact') (e.g., '[brand name] contact') Comparative searches (e.g., 'feet to meters converter') Each post should satisfy the intent behind the query. If someone searches for a measurement, give them quick answers, examples, and tools. If the search is brand-based, provide trustworthy, transparent information. Tip: Use tools like Google Search Console or free keyword planners to identify low-hanging opportunities early on. One of the most underrated methods of organic growth is strategic internal linking. From the start, every new blog post is connected to a parent page or related content using contextual anchor text. This helps: Increase time on site Reduce bounce rate Distribute page authority A clear internal linking strategy improves crawlability and shows search engines the relationship between different pages. It's especially useful for niche blogs where topics naturally support one another. Tip: Avoid using the same anchor text repeatedly—mix branded, partial-match, and generic terms to keep the link profile natural. Instead of relying solely on plugins, manual on-page SEO checks are integrated into the publishing process: URL slugs are kept short and keyword-relevant H1 and H2 tags follow a clear hierarchy Meta descriptions are manually written for every post Images are optimized with descriptive filenames and alt text Schema markup is also used to enhance certain posts with FAQ or How-To rich results. These enhancements improve click-through rates and visibility in search results. Tip: Always preview how your page appears in Google using tools like SERP simulators before publishing. Search engines value freshness and consistency. Rather than bulk-publishing, content is released on a steady schedule (e.g., 2–3 times per week). Older posts are revisited every 2–3 months to: Update outdated information Refresh internal/external links Add additional examples or visuals This signals to search engines that the content is maintained, increasing its longevity and ranking potential. Tip: Use Google Sheets or a basic editorial calendar to track post updates and identify content gaps. Early organic growth doesn't require an expensive link-building budget. Instead, backlinks are acquired through: Guest posting on relevant industry blogs Adding value to community forums or Reddit threads (without spamming) Submitting to niche directories and resource pages Answering journalist requests via platforms like Help a Reporter Out (HARO) Each backlink is directed to content-rich URLs, not just the homepage. This distributes authority across multiple landing pages and helps lesser-known blog posts gain traction. Tip: Prioritize relevance and context over domain authority when pursuing links. One high-context backlink can outperform multiple random ones. A strong organic foundation depends on a technically sound site. Basic audits were done to ensure: Fast load times (especially on mobile) No broken links or redirect chains SSL certificates and secure URLs Responsive design across devices Page speed tools like Google Lighthouse and GTmetrix are used to identify performance issues early. Clean code, lazy loading, and compressed images help the site stay lightweight and responsive. Tip: Don't overlook server configuration and hosting quality—technical issues can quietly stall SEO growth. From month one, analytics were used to shape strategy. Tools like Google Analytics and Search Console help track: Which pages bring the most organic traffic What keywords are ranking Which content has high impressions but low clicks This data informs what to improve, what to update, and what content ideas to scale next. Growth isn't left to guesswork—it's data-backed. Tip: Monitor low-ranking pages with high impressions. These are often the easiest wins with small optimizations. Organic growth doesn't happen overnight, but with a structured approach, it's repeatable. By combining keyword strategy, technical hygiene, content planning, and natural backlinks, any niche blog can move from zero to traffic. The key is avoiding shortcuts and sticking to consistent, user-focused publishing. The more trust you build with users and search engines, the faster your blog grows, without spending a single cent on ads. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Time Business News
19-05-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
BlakSheep Creative Launches Specialized Website Services for Public Safety Agencies
New service line bridges digital gaps for fire departments, EMS, law enforcement, and emergency response organizations DENHAM SPRINGS, LA — BlakSheep Creative, a digital agency known for building high-performance websites for mission-driven organizations, has announced the official launch of a new service offering: custom website design and development for public safety agencies. This new initiative is designed to empower fire departments, EMS agencies, law enforcement units, and emergency operations centers with the tools they need to communicate effectively, streamline internal operations, and engage the communities they serve. As local, state, and federal agencies increasingly rely on digital infrastructure to relay critical information and support recruiting and administrative functions, the demand for reliable, mobile-first, and ADA-compliant websites has never been higher. A 2024 study mentioned by Route Fifty (citing AudioEye's 2025 Digital Accessibility Index) found that the average government webpage scanned had numerous accessibility violations. Specifically, 51% of pages reviewed failed keyboard accessibility standards, and 28% of images lacked alt text. 'We're a veteran- and first responder–owned agency, so we understand the stakes,' said Clint L. Sanchez, Chief Strategist at BlakSheep Creative and 27-year veteran of the Baton Rouge Fire Department. 'Public safety websites can't afford to be an afterthought. These are frontline tools for communication, recruitment, transparency, and community trust. We're here to ensure they deliver on all fronts.' BlakSheep Creative's new service is structured around the unique needs of public safety agencies, addressing common challenges such as outdated user interfaces, unsecure hosting environments, lack of mobile compatibility, and difficult-to-update backend systems. The offering includes: Custom ADA-compliant website design Integrated emergency alerts and notifications Secure document portals for SOPs, reports, and public forms Online recruitment systems and job applications Local SEO strategies to improve visibility for recruitment, community outreach, and service-based search queries to improve visibility for recruitment, community outreach, and service-based search queries Training for internal staff to maintain and update the website with ease Each website is built on a WordPress-based CMS tailored for non-technical users, with full backend access for authorized personnel. While this is a formal launch, BlakSheep Creative has already quietly supported several public safety websites, including projects for Cajun Navy 2016, a disaster response organization, and Livingston Parish fire and emergency services. These projects showcased the ability of mission-aligned web platforms to drastically improve community engagement, increase operational efficiency, and support recruitment goals. In one recent example, Google Search Console data revealed that post-launch search impressions and click-through rates rose over 200% for an emergency response site redesigned by BlakSheep, compared to its outdated predecessor. This translated into higher visibility for volunteer opportunities and more timely access to alerts. 'Many departments are running on legacy systems and volunteer time,' said Marshall Watkins, IT contractor for a rural Oklahoma EMS unit. 'BlakSheep came in, listened, and gave us a modern site we could manage ourselves—with zero fluff.' With experience in both digital development and emergency services, BlakSheep Creative operates at the intersection of technology and public service. The agency's team prioritizes security, speed, accessibility, and clarity in every build—critical traits for organizations tasked with saving lives and safeguarding communities. 'We don't just design websites—we build trust and function into every line of code,' Sanchez added. 'Our goal is to make sure every chief, captain, or comms officer has a site that works as hard as their team does.' Public safety administrators, municipal decision-makers, and IT managers can learn more about the service here, including features, pricing estimates, and project timelines. For more information about BlakSheep Creative or to schedule a consultation, visit their website or explore their portfolio of recent projects. BlakSheep Creative is a Denham Springs–based digital marketing agency specializing in web design, SEO, branding, and content strategy for nonprofits, first responder organizations, and mission-focused businesses. Founded by veterans and first responders, the agency brings an operations-first mindset to digital challenges—delivering websites that are fast, functional, and built to serve. Clint L. Sanchez Chief Strategist & OwnerBlakSheep Creative📧 info@ (225) 505-3834 🌐
Time Business News
15-05-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
What Strategies Do SEO Experts Use To Drive Traffic?
Over the past few years, marketers have made search engine optimisation, or SEO, a top focus. It's simple to see why: greater search engine ranks translate into more leads, traffic, sales, and conversions. But just how does it operate? How might incorporating keywords into different aspects of your website increase the likelihood that it will rank well in search results? The best SEO services in Lahore are designed to improve your brand's online presence and increase targeted visitors. A positive user experience will boost SEO as well as conversion rates. Google takes into account several accessibility elements in addition to site performance and navigation. Although benchmarks vary over time, it's a good practice to make sure your website loads in three seconds or less. Your internet search ranking will suffer if you go above this limit. A slow-loading page can also soon irritate users, who will probably depart in search of a speedier one. An SEO expert may assist in drawing in customers who are actually interested in the goods or services being supplied by concentrating on keywords with considerable value and smart placement. Additionally, by creating captivating keyword descriptions and titles, SEO experts increase click-through rates, which may eventually result in increased client conversion rates. After a page is crawled, it is examined and added to the search engine's index, which is a sizable library of online material. Retrieved pages may be displayed in search results when visitors type relevant queries. To enhance indexing: Make sure the headlines on each page are clear and packed with keywords. For improved comprehension, use image alt text and Meta tags. Steer clear of duplicate material that might confuse search engines. Look for problems with index coverage in Google Search Console. One of the most important factors in determining the ranks of your website are keywords, which are terms that are frequently looked for on Google, Bing, etc. Your pages will eventually move up the leaderboards if you use the appropriate number of keywords in the appropriate locations. Semrush is a go-to tool for analysing SEO competitors. Their tool may save you a great deal of time and make the procedure quite simple. These rival websites are those that target audiences and rank for comparable keywords to yours. You may review all of your rivals and get more detailed information if you click the 'View all…' option. You may find out how many terms you share with each website by looking at the 'Common Keywords' section. You ought to have at least four or five major organic competitors by the time you finish this step. Moving on to those more technical aspects, building backlinks is another essential component of SEO effectiveness. In addition to helping you acquire domain authority, this also directly increases the likelihood that visitors will click through to your internet presence if it is listed on other trustworthy domains. Link-building is the general term for this process, and while you can just approach other websites to exchange links—quid pro quo—there are several other things you can do to expedite it: Blogging as a guest. Testimonials. Responding to queries on Quora and other websites. Producing information that can be shared, including infographics and movies. The data-driven analysis and conclusions that guide your plan are an additional advantage of hiring an SEO consultant. Consultants track customer behaviour and conversion rates by utilising technologies such as Google Analytics to analyse performance statistics. This data helps them to alter techniques as required, ensuring that your SEO efforts consistently improve and respond to trends. Websites are evaluated by the firm they maintain, much like individuals. The number of distinct domain names that link back to your website, which shows how many site owners are using your material in their own, determines your website's ranking. One of the best ways to expand your audience and increase website traffic is by guest blogging. Seize every chance to create content for a different website. Links pointing to your website function as 'votes' for the calibre and substance of your site. It is therefore worthwhile to invest some effort in obtaining them. Search for chances to establish connections that may ultimately lead to links, even if you should never ask another website owner to just link to you. Finally, an SEO consultant offers a cost-effective marketing option. SEO yields long-lasting, sustainable effects, in contrast to transient sponsored advertisements. Businesses may get long-term exposure and a greater return for their investments with a well-thought-out SEO strategy as opposed to short-term advertising strategies. As was mentioned, there are several tools available to assist you in auditing and improving your website. However, you may also examine the techno graphic data to learn more about the technologies that other businesses use most frequently if you want to differentiate yourself from your rivals. Visit Time Business News for more informative blogs. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Best Web Hosting Services for 2025: Tested and Reviewed
Whether you're building your first website for fun or looking to start an online business, you'll need a good web hosting service to make it available online. Searching through hundreds of web hosting companies can be overwhelming, so I've spent the past year researching and testing these companies to compile this list of the best web hosting services and help you choose the right company for your needs and your budget. Hostinger is the best web hosting company in today's marketplace, receiving the highest ranking -- 8.6 out of 10 -- of all the web hosts we've tested so far. Hostinger offers a straightforward signup process and guided tools for installing WordPress on your web server. Hostinger also offers a WordPress site assistant to help you perform key tasks, like creating your first web page. If you don't want to use WordPress, there's also a website builder, complete with an AI site generation tool that builds a website in minutes based on simple information about the topic and purpose of the site you're creating. Hostinger also offers great server performance, top-notch security tools -- especially for WordPress users -- and hPanel, a proprietary alternative to cPanel that simplifies server management tasks like connecting to Google Search Console. Best of all, Hostinger offers these features for highly affordable prices, with the basic web hosting plan starting at just $3 a month for a four-year contract. Renewal pricing is also affordable, starting at just $8 per month (based on a four-year contract). Hostinger is a fast-growing web hosting company that earned top marks in our hands-on Hostinger review thanks to its incredibly easy-to-use site-building tools and top-notch server performance. Hostinger offers a variety of specialized hosting plans for WordPress and WooCommerce, website builder hosting plans, VPS -- Virtual Private Server -- and cloud hosting. Hostinger offers great security, including unlimited secure socket layer -- SSL -- certification to encrypt data sent from or to your sites, firewall protection to keep malware out, and distributed denial of service -- DDoS -- protection to prevent malicious traffic from overwhelming your site. You'll also get a malware scanner and WordPress vulnerabilities scanner for quickly identifying security issues with your site, plus weekly backups (daily on some plans) so you can quickly restore your site if something goes wrong. WordPress users will enjoy the WordPress acceleration through LiteSpeed, automated WordPress updates and pre-built site templates available on most plans. Hostinger also offers a website builder with over 150 designer-built templates. The website builder also includes AI site generation tools; all you need to do is enter some basic information about your website, choose a color scheme and let Hostinger build your site. Hostinger is ideal if you want access to great WordPress features and/or a high-quality website builder for affordable prices. However, Hostinger's customer support is only available via live chat, so you might want to choose a different company if you prefer to communicate with customer support via email or phone. Pricing All Hostinger plans come with steep discounts, typically based on a four-year contract, longer than the one to three years required to get an introductory discount from other hosts. You may have to pay more than the prices listed below if you choose a shorter contract. Shared hosting starts at $2.50 a month. WordPress hosting starts at $2.50 a month. WooCommerce hosting starts at $3.50 a month. Website builder hosting starts at $2.50 a month. VPS hosting starts at $5 a month. Cloud hosting starts at $7.60 a month. See at Hostinger Ionos is a high-quality web host that performed remarkably well in our hands-on Ionos review. You can get several types of hosting from Ionos including shared hosting, WordPress hosting, e-commerce hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated hosting. Ionos plans include top-notch security, starting with SSL certification, firewall protection and DDoS protections. Ionos also offers malware scanning and automated daily backups for quickly restoring your site if something goes wrong. On top of all of this, Ionos offers some of the best customer service in the industry, with 24/7 access to support via live chat or phone. Both live chat and phone support were fast, polite and helpful during our tests. There are also fourteen international numbers for users around the world. You'll also get a personal consultant who can be reached by phone or live chat from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, although you may be directed to another support agent if your consultant is working on another case when you reach out. Ionos is a great choice if you're looking to create a hobby site or blog thanks to its combination of great features, affordable long-term pricing and excellent customer service. Ionos' prices start lower than most other web hosting services for similar services, but you must sign up for a three-year plan to access the best discounts. The price increases on renewal -- significantly so for some plans -- but most plans are still more affordable than their counterparts at other popular web hosts. The plans referenced below offer the lowest long-term pricing. Some mid-range plans may offer a steeper introductory discount but will cost significantly more than the plans referenced below on renewal. Shared hosting starts at $1 a month, but this is a mid-tier plan that increases to $12 a month on renewal. The lowest-tier plan starts at $4 a month, but only increases to $6 a month on renewal. WordPress hosting starts at $1 a month. However, this $1 deal is for a mid-tier plan that increases to $10 a month on renewal. The lowest-tier plan starts at $5, but only increases to $6 a month on renewal. WooCommerce hosting starts at $16 a month. Website builder hosting starts at $1 a month. Like the shared and WordPress hosting deals, this is for a mid-tier plan that increases to $18 a month on renewal. The lowest-tier plan starts at $6 a month, but only increases to $12 a month on renewal. VPS hosting starts at $2 a month. Dedicated server hosting starts at $48 a month. See at Ionos SiteGround is known for its WordPress-optimized hosting plans and award-winning customer service available 24/7 via phone, live chat and email. You can get WordPress, WooCommerce and cloud hosting through SiteGround. All SiteGround plans are optimized with guided WordPress setup tools, specialized caching tools for improving site speed and proprietary plugins for optimizing your website's speed and security. SiteGround performs automated updates to the core WordPress software, themes and plugins, with options to delay updates or even skip a specific release update if you need to prepare your site. SiteGround security goes beyond the standard SSL certification and firewall protection with a proprietary anti-bot system that claims to block millions of threats every day. You'll also get automated daily backups so you can quickly restore your site if something goes wrong. All of this is great, but the best thing about SiteGround is its customer support. There are comprehensive resources for learning how to perform most web hosting and site management tasks yourself. If you can't figure it out on your own, SiteGround offers customer service via support ticket, live chat and phone. I tested all three of these support channels and was impressed by the SiteGround team's fast, helpful responses. SiteGround is a great option if you want a WordPress website without worrying about managing the WordPress software yourself. The long-term pricing is high for a personal site -- the lowest-tier plan rises to $18 a month on renewal -- but totally reasonable if you're building a business website. WordPress hosting starts at $3 a month. WooCommerce hosting starts at $3 a month. Cloud hosting starts at $100 a month. A2 Hosting offers shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress, reseller and cloud hosting, including tiered options within each plan. Shared hosting, for example, offers plans labeled Startup, Drive, Turbo Boost and Turbo Max. These additional plans give customers more options to choose from to better fit their needs and allow customers to scale their operations as needed. One of the biggest benefits of A2 Hosting is the comprehensive security, which includes SSL certificate, dual firewalls, a virus scanner, DDoS protection and brute force defense. Most plans also include automated backups, although this isn't available on the lowest-tier plan. Our A2 Hosting review showed that A2 Hosting also has great tools for beginners, including a guided WordPress setup process and site assistant. Server performance was also good, with 100% uptime during our week of testing -- exceeding the official 99.9% uptime guarantee -- and good overall site speed. Customer support can be slow when contacted via support ticket or phone. A2 Hosting is a great choice if you're completely new to website building and WordPress. A2 Hosting pricing is about average at first glance, but renewal pricing is relatively high when compared to other popular web hosts. When you factor in all of the security features and additional features like the site assistant and unlimited email hosting, A2 Hosting is worth the price. Shared hosting starts at $3 a month. WordPress hosting starts at $12 a month. Unmanaged VPS hosting starts at $3 a month. Managed VPS hosting starts at $36 a month. Dedicated server hosting starts at $129 a month. Reseller hosting starts at $18 a month. See at A2 Hosting GreenGeeks offers shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress and reseller hosting plans. Each plan offers tiered options that let you scale up as your site's needs grow. Some plans are managed but at a higher cost. Each plan also includes a website builder so you don't have to build your site from scratch. Every GreenGeeks plan includes a slew of security features like SSL certificates, DDoS protection, daily backups, malware cleanups and more to help protect your site. GreenGeeks says it checks its servers every 10 seconds for any issues, while other services might check every 30 seconds, every minute or longer. For more direct customer support, GreenGeeks offers 24/7 chat support. You can also email GreenGeeks support, and the company says you can expect a resolution in about 15 to 20 minutes. The other thing that stands out about GreenGeeks is its commitment to the environment: for every hosting account, GreenGeeks plants a tree, and GreenGeeks also creates three times the amount of energy used through wind power credits. GreenGeeks is a great choice if you want to offset the environmental costs of hosting your website. GreenGeeks' pricing is average compared to other web hosting services. Most of the lowest prices from GreenGeeks require a three-year contract paid in full upfront. Other contracts are available at an increased price per month, but must also be paid in full upfront. Shared hosting starts at $3 per month. WordPress hosting starts at $3 per month. VPS hosting starts at $70 per month. Dedicated server hosting starts at $169 per month. Reseller hosting starts at $20 per month. See at GreenGeeks AccuWeb Hosting offers shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress, app, reseller and cloud hosting options. Customers can also choose which of AccuWeb Hosting's global data centers will host their data. This means if you anticipate that most of your traffic will come from outside the US, you can choose to store your site in a different location so your site loads quicker for non-US visitors. AccuWeb Hosting offers top-notch security on all plans, including SSL certification, free antivirus tools and free daily backups. AccuWeb servers are also LiteSpeed enhanced for improved speed and performance. The other major benefit of AccuWeb Hosting is affordability. Specifically, WordPress hosting starts at just $2.75 a month and the lowest-tier plan doesn't become more expensive on renewal, something unique to AccuWeb. AccuWeb is ideal if you're looking to build a personal or hobby WordPress site and you want to make it work on a tight budget. Some AccuWeb Hosting plans, like shared plans, are a little higher than other services, while mid-level plans, like VPS plans, are cheaper than other services. Introductory prices for most hosting types are only available with a three-year term, but the price increases on renewal are reasonable when compared to other popular hosts. Shared hosting starts at $3 a month. WordPress hosting starts at $2.75 a month -- and the cost of this plan doesn't increase on renewal. VPS plans start at $4 a month. VPS cloud hosting starts at $6.50 a month. Dedicated hosting starts at $103 a month. Reseller hosting starts at $12 a month. See at AccuWeb Hosting The most common types of hosting are shared hosting, virtual private server hosting and dedicated hosting. Shared hosting is typically the most basic, and the least expensive, type of hosting. Continuing the art example, shared hosting is like a small gallery presented in a coffee shop. Yes, the art you created is there, but so is art by other people. Shared hosting is similar. You're usually charged a few bucks a month to house your site, but you don't get a lot of resources to help you take care of your site. These plans usually cost between $2 and $20 a month. VPS hosting is a step up from shared hosting and is a little bit more expensive. Here, your art is stored in a gallery downtown. Other art is still stored and displayed alongside yours, but unlike shared hosting, each artist has their own booth within the gallery. With VPS hosting, you get more resources which allows you to handle more traffic and display more items. These plans usually cost between $2 and $110 a month. Dedicated hosting is when you house your site on a whole server without anyone else. This is like having the entire art gallery to yourself. Everything there is your art and you get dedicated people to help take care of your art. These plans are the most expensive, but you get the most resources. Dedicated hosting plans usually cost between $47 and $540 a month. Your web host should offer a variety of shared and VPS hosting plans to accommodate your site as it grows. You may want to choose a host that also has dedicated hosting options if you're planning to grow your site into an enterprise business, but this limits your options -- a lot of the best web hosts only offer shared and VPS hosting. You may also want to consider cloud hosting if you want to start a business website. You can learn more about cloud hosting -- and all the other hosting types mentioned here -- in our guide about types of web hosting for more details. It's important to secure your site so you don't compromise the personal information of your site's visitors or yourself. At a minimum, your web hosting should include two security features: Secure socket layer certification: The secure socket layer protocol automatically encrypts all data sent to and from your website, protecting key data like your customers' contact information. Browsers and VPNs rely on SSL certification to determine if a site is safe and may block sites without it so potential visitors can't even load the page. Google may also penalize sites without SSL certification. Firewall: A firewall is a type of software that scans data sent to your site and filters out malware attempting to infiltrate your site. Some web hosting companies use the open-source Mod Security firewall, while others have custom firewalls designed to protect against more advanced threats like distributed denial of service attacks. Many of the best web hosts also provide brute force and DDoS protection, malware scanning/repair and automated backups. Uptime is the amount of time your site spends online. The industry standard site uptime is 99.9%, which means your site won't go down for more than nine hours per year. Some hosts provide uptime guarantees as high as 99.99%, which means your site won't go down for more than 56 minutes per year. Note that this guarantee only refers to server performance; your site may still go down due to other reasons, such as being hacked or a botched WordPress update. You could run into an issue with your site at any time, so choosing a web hosting service that can give you 24/7 customer service is vital. Email support is good, chat support is better and phone support is best. Addressing any issues or outages as quickly as possible ensures your site is reachable and your visitors have a good experience. Web hosting pricing can be confusing. For example, a service might list its lowest shared hosting price as $5 a month. That price is a promotional rate and comes attached to a one-year contract. At the end of the contract, the price reverts to its regular price of $10 a month, double what you were paying. With that in mind, shared hosting can cost anywhere between $2 and $23 per month, VPS can cost between $2-$110 a month and dedicated hosting can cost between $47-$540 a month on average. My testing process begins with analyzing web hosting companies' plans and packages to determine their value. If the plans look good, I move on to checking reviews on sites like Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau to get a feel for the level of service they provide to customers and their overall reputation. Next, I create an account with each web host and use our web hosting test framework to evaluate the service in four categories: Ease of use Performance (speed and uptime) Customer support Value I then average out the rankings from each category to give the host an overall ranking out of 10. The following services aren't as robust as our top picks, but they're still reasonable offerings. Some specialize in one type of hosting, like WordPress hosting, so they're not ideal for hosting a non-WordPress site or accommodating its long-term growth. Others have extremely high renewal costs or lack certain types of customer service. Pay close attention to the details when choosing one of these hosts. Namecheap offers some of the cheapest pricing plans. Month-to-month plans in particular are less expensive compared with monthly plans from other services. Some other services might offer monthly shared hosting plans for $20, but all Namecheap monthly shared hosting plans cost less than $10. Namecheap also offers VPS, dedicated, WordPress and reseller hosting plans. Namecheap has a 99.9% uptime guarantee for VPS and reseller plans, as well as a 100% uptime guarantee for most shared, VPS and dedicated plans. Each Namecheap plan comes with a free virus scanner, two-factor authentication and DDoS protection to help secure your data and your visitors' data. SSL certificates are free for one year. After that year, you can buy SSL certificates through NameCheap for $6 per year with a five-year contract. Namecheap offers 24/7 email and chat support but no phone support. Namecheap plans start at $2 per month. GoDaddy offers shared, VPS, dedicated and WordPress hosting plans, a 99.9% uptime guarantee and 24/7 customer support by phone or chat. GoDaddy is also the only web host on this list you can contact via text, and we found customer service highly responsive during our GoDaddy review. GoDaddy also had impressive server performance. The big drawback of GoDaddy is that some security features are inconsistent. For example, SSL certificates are included with all shared hosting plans, but with the lower-tiered shared plan, you have to purchase an SSL certificate after one year no matter how long your hosting contract is. SSL certificates are also a paid option in lower-tiered VPS and dedicated hosting plans, but they're included in the higher-tiered options. GoDaddy Web Hosting plans start at $6 a month. HostGator offers shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress, eCommerce and reseller hosting plans with tiered options. Most of HostGator's plans include a firewall with DDoS protections and SSL certification for at least one year. Some plans come with automated backups, but HostGator writes that anyone with "critical business information or important data are STRONGLY encouraged to seek a third-party backup service…" (emphasis theirs). Undermining your own backup system is an odd choice. In theory, customer support from HostGator is available via chat, email or phone 24/7. Some plans limit the types of customer service you can access and we experienced inconsistent service across support channels during our HostGator review. HostGator pricing starts at $3.75 a month. HostPapa has global data centers, so you can choose the best data center to reach your visitors the quickest. Hosting options include shared, VPS, managed and unmanaged WordPress hosting, reseller hosting and PapaCare, which is similar to managed shared hosting. HostPapa has free SSL certificates, DDoS protection and other security features included in each plan, a 99.9% uptime guarantee and 24/7 phone, chat and email support. The lack of a dedicated hosting option means that if your site grows too large, you'll have to migrate to another service. In addition, renewal pricing isn't listed on plan pages and can be quite expensive. Moreover, some features, like automated backups and a security tool, are automatically added for an additional charge during check-out. These features are included in higher-tier plans, but not in all plans. HostPapa plans start at $3 per month. Hostwinds offers unlimited storage and bandwidth, as well as unlimited free business email accounts with each plan. It offers shared, managed and unmanaged VPS, dedicated, reseller and cloud hosting plans, as well as a business-centered shared hosting plan it calls business hosting. Hostwinds has a 99.9999% uptime guarantee, which is above average, and it offers 24/7 support via live chat, email and support ticket; there are no hours listed for the support phone number. Hostwinds plans also come with free SSL certificates and free nightly backups. In comparison with other services, Hostwinds isn't as forthcoming with information on other features or plan differences. Usually, services show detailed charts that lay out what features come with plans. Hostwinds' shared chart, for example, lists only bandwidth, disk space and how many domains come with each plan. Hostwinds plans start at $5.24 a month. Bluehost specializes in WordPress hosting and many of its plans include custom themes and other WordPress tools. It offers shared, VPS, dedicated hosting, managed and unmanaged WordPress hosting, as well as an option called Online Store that includes additional e-commerce tools with each plan. All plans include two-factor authentication and anti-spam protection. You'll also get an SSL certificate, but it's only free for the first year on the lowest-tier plan; after that, you'll be paying $90 a year. Bluehost customers can call or chat with a customer support representative 24/7. Bluehost doesn't offer an uptime guarantee but instead says it resolves issues within 15 minutes of them being reported. It doesn't say how many issues you should expect on average. If your site is down for about 15 minutes a week, your site could be down for about 13 hours a year, which is higher than standard. Bluehost plans start at $3 per month. Glowhost offers shared, cloud VPS, dedicated, semi-dedicated, reseller and what Glowhost calls elastic site hosting, which it compares to a managed VPS plan. Security features include free SSL certificates and McAfee Secure, which is included for free, and customer support is available by phone or chat 24/7. Glowhost also promises 100% network uptime and 99.95% overall uptime. If it doesn't live up to those expectations, you can take advantage of the 91-day money-back guarantee. Glowhost plans start at $3.50 per month. Mochahost offers shared, VPS, dedicated cloud, WordPress and reseller plans and 24/7 live chat support. Phone support and ticket creation are also available. Free SSL certificates are included in each plan as well, but other security features, like spam and malware filters, come at an additional cost or with more expensive plans. Mochahost plans start at $4 per month, and the renewal prices are affordable too, with the lowest-tier plan renewing at $6.35 a month. InMotion Hosting offers shared, VPS, dedicated, WordPress and reseller hosting with different tiered options for each type of hosting. InMotion Hosting also offers managed hosting services. These services can be purchased for one hour for $90, or you can purchase these services for three months, six months or a year with prices starting at $48 a month. Each plan comes with free SSL certificates, DDoS protections and hack and malware protections. Automatic daily backups are also available, but these are an additional $2.50 a month. All of this looks great, but our review process revealed serious issues with InMotion Hosting, including slow server speeds and a massive one-hour and 12 minutes of downtime during our week of testing. InMotion Hosting customer support was also impossible to get in touch with. Shared hosting at InMotion Hosting starts at $3 a month when you choose a three-year plan. Liquid Web: No shared hosting. Security features include an integrated firewall and standard DDoS protections. Offers 100% uptime and 24/7 chat or phone support plus you can create tickets. Prices start at $5 a month for VPS hosting. Web Hosting Hub: Offers shared and WordPress hosting. Has free SSL certificates but other security features cost extra. Offers 99.9% uptime and has 24/7 chat and phone support as well as ticket submission. Prices start at $6 a month. WP Engine: Offers WordPress hosting. Security features like free SSL certificates and daily backups. Only custom-managed WordPress plans have an uptime guarantee, and the company offers 24/7 chat support, phone support is offered at higher plan levels. Prices start at $20 a month. Kinsta: Offers WordPress, web app, managed database and static site hosting. Security features like free SSL certificates and automatic backups. Has a 99.9% uptime and 24/7 chat support. Prices start at $30 a month for WordPress hosting, with a one month free trial. Web hosting is the act of storing a website's data on a server or series of servers. Imagine a website as a work of art. That art needs to be housed somewhere for people to see, and web hosting is like a gallery where your art can be stored for others to view. There are three common types of web hosting: shared hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated hosting. Shared hosting is the simplest and least expensive type of hosting, often starting at $2-5 a month, with costs kept low by sharing a web server -- and its resources, like bandwidth and data storage -- with other sites. VPS hosting is more advanced, creating a virtual private server with dedicated resources for your site so it can handle more traffic and store more data. VPS hosting packages typically cost between $2 and $110 a month. Dedicated hosting gives you an entire physical server, typically including large amounts of storage and bandwidth. Dedicated hosting plans usually cost between $47 and $540 a month. Check out our guide about types of web hosting for more details. Some other types of hosting include reseller, cloud and WordPress hosting. Reseller hosting involves subscribing to a web hosting service and selling that space to a person who wants to put a website online, essentially becoming a web host yourself. Cloud hosting stores your data in a network of servers so if anything happens to one server, visitors can still view your site like usual. These are generally used by larger businesses and organizations. WordPress hosting is optimized to use WordPress, a popular system used by many organizations, offering over 54,000 plugins that make it possible to build any kind of website you can imagine. For gamers, there is also Minecraft hosting. Minecraft continues to be one of the most popular games, and hosting a dedicated Minecraft server can ensure you and your friends have your own place in the game to enjoy. Some of the key security features you should be on the lookout for are secure socket layer certificates, DDoS protections and web application firewalls. SSL certificates encrypt and authenticate data sent between servers, machines and applications operating within a network to protect your -- and your visitors' -- information. A DDoS attack is a flood of traffic to your site that overwhelms and shuts down your site, and potentially the sites of others depending on your hosting plan. DDoS protection monitors your site's traffic for anything suspicious and stops DDoS attacks from happening before they cause significant damage. A WAF is a layer of security on your site that filters, monitors and blocks malicious traffic and data from accessing your site. If something looks suspicious, the WAF blocks it. A2 Hosting's shared hosting is the best web hosting for beginners thanks to its guided WordPress setup process and site assistant. A2 Hosting also offers good server performance and excellent live chat support, although phone and email support can be slow.
Associated Press
05-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Abun Announces AI-Powered Content Tool to Support SEO Strategies in 2025
Abun unveils AI-powered content tool to SEO optimization, automate publishing, and improve search rankings for businesses in 2025. 'Automating key aspects of content creation and optimization helps organizations maintain search relevance while focusing on broader marketing initiatives.' — Junaid Ansari CANADA, February 5, 2025 / / -- Abun has introduced new advancements to its AI-powered content platform, aiming to support businesses in optimizing their content strategies for evolving search engine algorithms. Enhancements in AI-Driven Content Creation AI-driven tools are increasingly influencing content development, ensuring alignment with search engine requirements for rankings, readability, and user engagement. has announced updates that integrate automation to assist businesses in efficiently producing high-quality, search-optimized content. Key Features of Abun's AI-Powered Content Tools SEO-Optimized Content for Search Visibility: The platform structures content with relevant keywords, headings, and readability enhancements. Automated Internal & External Linking: Improves site navigation and enhances domain credibility by streamlining link management. Integrated Keyword Research with Google Search Console: Provides insights into high-performing keywords based on search trends. Automated Publishing to Multiple Platforms: Streamlines content distribution to platforms such as WordPress, Webflow, and Shopify. Diverse Content Formats for Engagement: Includes features such as tables, FAQs, TL;DR summaries, and bullet points to enhance user interaction. Multiple Export Options for Flexibility: Enables content downloads in Markdown, HTML, or PDF formats for versatile distribution. Adapting to SEO Trends in 2025 Search engine optimization continues to evolve, with backlinks remaining a crucial ranking factor. In response, Abun has released a free guide outlining strategies for acquiring high-quality backlinks to improve domain authority and search visibility. Industry Perspectives on AI in Content Marketing Junaid Ansari, co-founder of Abun, shared insights on AI's growing role in content marketing: 'Businesses are increasingly adopting AI-driven tools to enhance content production efficiency. Automating key aspects of content creation and optimization helps organizations maintain search relevance while focusing on broader marketing initiatives.' With ongoing advancements in AI technology, content marketing is expected to become more data-driven and scalable, leveraging AI's ability to assess search trends and user behaviors. The Future of AI-Powered SEO Organizations integrating AI-powered content solutions are positioned to navigate the evolving SEO landscape more effectively. By automating research, writing, and optimization, these tools contribute to a streamlined content workflow. As AI continues to shape digital strategies, its role in content marketing is anticipated to expand, influencing brand engagement and search rankings. For further insights on Abun's AI-driven content strategies and optimization tools, industry professionals can explore expert recommendations and emerging SEO trends. Abun also offers a range of free AI tools designed to support businesses in maximizing their SEO efforts. These tools include blog idea generators, title optimizers, meta description creators, and keyword research assistants. By utilizing these resources, businesses can enhance engagement, increase website traffic, and refine their content strategies. For more details on Abun's latest features and offerings, visit Junaid Ansari Abun X LinkedIn Other Legal Disclaimer:
