rfe_landing_page_hero_image-1

WordPress Speed and Performance Suggestions


While we are constantly working to improve our systems and speed things up on our end, there is always something that can be done on your end too.

WordPress out of the box is not optimized for speed, so we suggest a few different options to help speed things up.

Here are some tools of the trade that we love and use often….
Pingdom Speed test – https://tools.pingdom.com/ (Test the load time of that page, analyze it and find bottlenecks.)
GTmetrix – https://gtmetrix.com/ (GTmetrix gives you insight on how well your site loads and provides actionable recommendations on how to optimize it.)

To get started, the first recommendation is to use a cache plugin like WP Super cache (Free – https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-super-cache/), or WP Rocket (Paid – https://wp-rocket.me/).

What is caching? Cache is an area in the computer’s memory that stores recently used information. When a site is cached, it means the site’s pages, images, files and Web objects are stored on the user’s local hard drive. This in turn means that when a user opens a frequently accessed file, the browser will have most (if not all) of its files cached.

When a browser doesn’t have to retrieve new information every time a site is accessed it results in faster page load times. Caching plugins work the same way. They save dynamically generated HTML files in the cache and serve them next time a request is made instead of re-loading all of the PHP scripts from WordPress.

Next, we suggest the use of a CDN. Some options are Cloudflare (Free – http://www.cloudflare.com), MaxCDN (Paid – http://www.maxcdn.com)

If you are just getting started and do not have the budget for a premium CDN system, we suggest you start off with cloudflare. They offer a great system at no cost to you.

All of our hosting plans have this pre-installed in the cPanel system, you just have to activate it.

And Lastly, the use of image smashing plugins is also very helpful. Some that come to mind are WP Smushit (FREE – https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-smushit/), And EWWW (FREE – https://wordpress.org/plugins/ewww-image-optimizer/)

These systems will take all the images on your site and will compress and optimize them while keeping their quality intact.

We would be happy to go through your site and help you come up with ideas on how to improve your sites speed and performance. This also goes for any other questions you may have about your website or our services. Please feel free to contact us if you are interested in doing so. http://www.rfehosting.com/support

Why is WordPress so Popular?

WordPress

WordPress is the most popular web hosting option available, powering roughly one in every four sites on the internet. Most web hosting companies (RFE Hosting included) offer free one-click installation of WordPress, and that is just one item in a long list of reasons why most experts believe that WordPress is only going to get bigger with time. So if you’re preparing to create or redesign a website for your company, the question you are probably asking yourself is, “Why is WordPress so popular?” In this article, we will cover a few of the most important answers.

WordPress is a free, open source program. Never underestimate the power of free things. In part, WordPress obtained its tremendous popularity by simply offering the best free and free-to-use software out there: not only did this create an instant user base, it also created an instant base of base of people eager to work on and improve the existing program (but more on that later.)

WordPress is impressively versatile. Whether you are designing a website for Ecommerce, classified advertisements, video hosting, blogging, selling memberships, booking events, or what have you, WordPress has the capability to do a good job.

WordPress offers incredible SEO potential. WordPress also offers fantastic SEO capabilities: Google recently gave the site a 99% positive ranking in terms of enabling its users to rank well. Here’s a few of the SEO prerequisites that WordPress meets.

  • Fast Loading Speed.
  • Great Coding Standard.
  • XML Sitemap.
  • Robust Navigation.
  • Image Optimization.
  • Seamless Social Media Integration.
  • User Experience and Cross-Platform Functionality.

The Power of Popularity. Finally, the last factor to which we can attribute WordPress’s popularity is the positive feedback loop that followed the company from the start. Thousands of WordPress users have developed their own WordPress modifications and plugins, thus cementing the sites position as the highest quality option out there.

Build your own WordPress Website with RFE Hosting. Visit us online to learn more.

5 Tips for Managing an Ecommerce Website

SEO

E-Commerce is the wave of the future. It offers tremendous potential for the savvy business owners who manage to wield its power. Here are 5 tips that can help you be successful in the industry.

  1. Use (and hone) conversion-based landing pages. Sure, a lot of organic traffic may end up on your homepage: but, with smart SEO and advertising campaigns (which will both be discussed in greater detail later in this article) you can ensure that a good portion of customers end up directly on a landing page that is specially designed to start them further along the conversion funnel. Extra points if you can include payment on that very screen. Whatever your strategy, however, you should set up A/B testing in order to perfect your page: new software has made the process exceptionally easy, and the ROI potential is through the roof.
  2. Advertise. Sure, it represents an investment–but once again, the ROI potential that this investment offers is well worth it. Of course, your online advertising campaign will only be as valuable as you make it: be sure to do your research, manage your campaign carefully, and (once again) always be improving your landing pages.
  3. Invest in SEO. Improving your search engine rankings can help bolster traffic as well: you could start a blog, redesign your site for functionality, or begin running a comprehensive social media campaign: it all depends on how much you are willing and able to do.
  4. Narrow your horizons. E-commerce can feel like a much lower liability business model–which leads some business owners to get overly excited and sell too wide a range of products, effectively destroying their niche.
  5. Choose the right hosting services. Finding a host that offers great service, optimal uptime, and SSL credentials is a must. Visit RFE Hosting online today to learn more.

8 Tips for Promoting A Company Website

website

Getting your website up and running smoothly is only the first half of the battle. Though getting this far certainly signifies a great deal of hard work and dedication, your new website will ultimately fail to meet its goals unless you continue working hard to promote it. Here are a few of the most important steps you can take in order to do just that.

  1. Social media. In case you haven’t noticed, social media is the place to be in today’s online world. Social media accounts are a near necessity in today’s market–and with a smart campaign, you can attract hundreds of visitors (read: potential customers) to your site.
  2. Social media advertizing. In addition to attracting “natural” social media traffic, you may wish to invest in social media ads (particularly Facebook advertising, the tried-and-true options for most industries.)
  3. Word of mouth. Connections between friends, families, professional contacts, and other acquaintances–sometimes jokingly referred to as “the original social network,” remain invaluable for promoting your new website. Be sure to recommend your site in-person to customers and clients–especially the regulars!
  4. Encourage sharing. Encouraging your customers, clients, and online contacts to share your website via internet and/or recommend it in person can also be effective–especially when a creative discount program or sweepstakes is involved!
  5. SEO. Ensuring that your website is search engine optimized with good keywords, quality content, and professional web design is the only way to ensure that those who look for you online find you.
  6. Harness the power of blogging. Speaking of SEO, a blog can boost your search engine rankings while also giving visitors a reason to keep coming back to your site. Moreover, it will open the possibility of writing guest blogs for other companies in the industry–as well as the possibility of accepting guest blogs. Both of these options are great promotional tools.
  7. Include your URL on business cards, letterheads, email signatures, promotional materials, and in any other location that could drive potential traffic to your site.
  8. Paid Advertising. Though this requires the largest investment, ROI on paid search engine advertising is generally high–especially when campaigns are well managed.

For more important tips for website owners, visit the RFE Hosting blog!

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting a Website

WEBSITE CREATION

Building a successful professional website requires more than just hard work: it requires a vision. Before you invest in starting a website, take time for serious reflection and answer these 5 questions:

What are my goals?

In order for your website to be successful, you need to define what success means for you and your company. For some, e-commerce is the end game. Others are content with promotion and consumer education. Still others hope to profit off of online advertising while possibly fulfilling one or more of the goals listed above. Defining your goals will make it far easier to measure success and craft your online campaign.

What are my customers (or visitors) looking for?

Understanding your audience is another prerequisite to success. Ask yourself what your customers and/or online visitors are looking for. Conduct surveys or market research if necessary. Once you have the answer, crafting your website around those needs will help you reach success.

How much am I able to budget?

This may not being the most exciting question to answer, but it will help you allot your resources in the most logical manner possible.

What do I know about the process of building and maintaining a website?

Most business owners are not web developers. Ask yourself how much you know, and make an effort to educate yourself in the areas that are still unclear.

What components of website construction can I handle myself, and what components require professional assistance?

Finally, think about how you can help your website grow–and consider which components may be better off outsourced to experts. Perhaps you are a great photographer, or perhaps you can write great copy–but the odds are good you will still need help when it comes to programming.

RFE Hosting is here to help! Our blog features a wide selection of resources that can help business owners get their blog running, so be sure to visit us online!

Terms Of Service | Privacy Policy