Tag: Wordpress website creation

6 Reasons Why Quality Website Hosting is Crucial For Your Business

August 7, 2023
iManila Dev
Hosting, iNews, Our Ideas

Every website requires a home on the internet, and that’s where web hosting comes in. Web hosting is an essential service that provides your website with a place to reside on the World Wide Web. In simple terms, a web hosting provider allocates space on a server where your website can store its files. Whether HTML, images, or any other content, all require a server to be accessible online.

A well-designed website serves as a virtual storefront, offering customers a glimpse into your brand, products, and services. However, many business owners often underestimate the importance of investing in quality web hosting. In this article, we go over six benefits of dependable and high-quality web hosting for the success of your business.

Enhanced Website Performance

Your website’s loading speed and overall efficacy majorly affect user experience and search engine rankings. Quality web hosting companies employ advanced technologies and high-performance servers to ensure your website loads promptly and without interruption. Improving your website’s performance maintains your visitors’ interest and boosts your SEO efforts since search engines favor sites that load quickly.

Top-notch Security

Cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, and websites are constantly targeted. A single security breach on your website can have devastating effects, including data theft, compromised consumer information, and irreparable damage to your business’s reputation. Therefore, selecting a web hosting provider that prioritizes security and invests heavily in strong protective measures is critical. These measures include advanced firewall protection, regular and thorough malware scans, and secure data centers that meet industry standards. Entrusting your website’s security to a provider like iManila can ensure that your business’s online presence is in capable hands.

Reliable Uptime

Imagine your website going down during peak hours or when a vital online marketing campaign is running. Downtime can cost your business dearly due to lost sales and a damaged reputation. You can expect reliable uptime guarantees with quality web hosting, often backed by robust service level agreements (SLAs). This ensures that your website remains accessible to customers around the clock, helping you maintain a positive online presence.

Scalability for Growth

As your business expands, so will your website’s needs. A reliable web hosting provider can accommodate your growth by offering scalable plans. Whether it’s increased storage space, higher bandwidth, or better processing power, a quality host seamlessly upgrades your package to meet your evolving requirements. This ensures your website can handle increased traffic and resource demands without hiccups.

SEO Benefits

Search engine optimization (SEO) drives organic traffic to your website. Quality web hosting indirectly contributes to SEO by offering fast loading times, optimal server response, and secure connections, which search engines like Google consider as ranking factors. Optimizing and hosting your website on a dependable platform has a greater chance of ranking higher in search engine results, thereby increasing its exposure and attracting more potential customers.

Professional Email and Domain

A professional email address and domain name are essential for building a credible online presence. Quality web hosting providers often include email hosting services, allowing you to create professional email addresses using your domain name (e.g., [email protected]). This adds professionalism to your communication and helps establish your brand identity.

Investing in quality web hosting is not just an expense but a strategic decision that can significantly impact your business’s online success. Opting for a dependable web hosting provider, such as iManila, can catalyze your business’s growth, enhanced credibility, and increased customer satisfaction in today’s fiercely competitive digital landscape. Reach out to us today to embark on this journey toward digital excellence.

iManila is a top hosting provider in the Philippines, offering reliable web hosting solutions, including shared web hosting, business cloud hosting, and dedicated server hosting to meet your business needs. As a leading web development company, iManila also offers web design and development, website update and maintenance, and technical, desktop, and remote support services. Our expertise extends to mobile applications development specializing in customized web systems catered to diverse industries. As a top digital marketing agency, we also offer a wide range of digital marketing services. Talk to us!

Do I Need a Digital Marketing Agency? 5 Questions to Ask Yourself

“Do I need a marketing agency?“. This is probably a question that has always been on your mind ever since you started your own business. Whether you have your team of marketing specialists or you’re marketing your business alone, you’ve probably wondered what it would be like to let a marketing agency handle all your online marketing efforts.

Digital marketing agencies offer a wide range of digital marketing services, from search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), social media management, social media advertising, content marketing, email marketing, and branding. Some digital marketing agencies, like iManila, offer all these services, while others specialize in one particular service or niche. Hiring a marketing agency can help you save money, time, generate new ideas, and gain access to the latest marketing technologies.

While the benefits of hiring a digital marketing agency may seem incredible, it doesn’t automatically guarantee that it is the ideal solution for your business. Before concluding, it is crucial to evaluate several factors carefully. Keep reading to discover these five factors to determine if a marketing agency is worth your time and money.

Do you need more resources?

Consider your specific online marketing goals and their contribution to your overall business growth. Do you want to increase your online visibility? Get more leads? Drive more sales? Assessing whether your internal resources are sufficient to achieve these goals is essential. Some marketing objectives require a diverse range of skills and knowledge. Evaluate whether your current marketing team possesses the expertise necessary to accomplish these goals.

Additionally, assess the current state of your business. Is it experiencing growth? Growing companies often require increased marketing efforts, which may demand additional resources, expertise, and strategic planning. So, if your existing resources are inadequate for achieving your goals, partnering with a digital marketing agency can be a viable solution. A digital marketing agency can adapt to your evolving needs because it provides the necessary scalability and flexibility to support your business growth.

Do you want to improve your current marketing efforts?

Analyze your current online marketing initiatives and assess whether the key metrics and KPIs are met. If your current efforts produce suboptimal results, then it may be beneficial to seek expert assistance. An agency can provide fresh perspectives on the table. With their extensive marketing experience across various industries, they offer unbiased opinions, valuable insights, and recommendations to achieve your KPIs consistently. Additionally, they may identify untapped opportunities, target new demographics, or suggest innovative approaches based on their data-driven methodologies. Leveraging their industry-specific experience, they can provide a competitive edge and guide you through any market changes. If you are dissatisfied with the results of your current campaigns, it might be time to hear some fresh insights from a digital marketing agency.

Do you have the time to keep up with digital marketing trends?

Keeping up with the rapidly evolving digital marketing landscape can require significant time and resources. It’s not just about staying updated with the latest trends on social media, but it’s also about staying updated with the latest industry trends, marketing tools, platforms, and consumer behavior patterns. All of which require a significant amount of effort and continuous learning in an ever-evolving industry. Additionally, it’s crucial for your business to quickly adapt to these changes too. Assess whether your team can effectively manage these responsibilities alongside their current tasks. If you find it challenging, then a digital marketing agency can shoulder the workload for you. With expertise in navigating the dynamic marketing landscape, an agency brings valuable industry insights. This includes research and best practices to help you navigate the ever-changing marketing landscape more effectively.

Do you need to optimize your marketing budget?

Effectively managing a marketing budget presents a common challenge for small and medium-sized companies. Failing to optimize the budget can result in inefficiencies and wasted resources. Some companies mistakenly believe that simply setting up campaigns is enough. However, to maximize revenue generation, ongoing monitoring and updates are necessary. Unfortunately, substantial amounts of money are often squandered due to inadequate monitoring and strategy improvements. If this situation resonates with your business, then you may want to consider hiring a digital marketing agency. These agencies specialize in optimizing your online marketing campaigns to deliver optimal results. Equipped with the latest knowledge and technology, they can track your campaigns and fine-tune your initiatives. Their expertise can ultimately drive increased revenue for your business.

Do you need more time for your business?

As a business owner, hiring a digital marketing agency can be a valuable solution. Most especially if you’re juggling building an effective marketing strategy alongside your daily responsibilities. Additionally, when you excessively focus on one aspect of your business, it may result in neglecting other crucial areas. This negligence can later hurt your long-term success. Therefore, it is vital to invest in additional resources to sustain the growth of your business. By allowing a digital marketing agency to handle your online marketing efforts, you can fully concentrate on core business activities without the added concern of managing the marketing aspect. Furthermore, this division of responsibilities enables you to focus on your daily duties and operations. By hiring an agency, you can confidently entrust the management of your marketing initiatives to professionals. This ensures that all aspects of your business receive the attention they require for optimal performance.

How to Select the Right Marketing Agency

If you have responded “yes” to most of the questions, a digital marketing agency is likely the ideal solution for your current business requirements. Now it’s time to select the right agency for your business. To assist you in narrowing down your options, here are some valuable insights to consider when evaluating a marketing agency:

Ensure that the digital marketing services offered by the agency align with your business needs. If you’re uncertain about the type of service required, a full-service marketing agency may be your best bet, as they offer comprehensive solutions.
Review their portfolio or case studies to gain insights into their track record and how they achieved success for their clients.
Analyze whether the values of the agency align with your own. Working with a company that shares your values can foster a harmonious and productive partnership.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to hire a digital marketing agency, consider iManila. We are one of the top digital marketing companies in the Philippines, specializing in creating personalized online marketing campaigns and strategies that yield tangible results for businesses in all industries.

With 27 years of experience in the industry and an IT company at its core, iManila, having been one of the first Internet Service Providers in the Philippines, is committed to providing our clients with innovative information technology, web, and digital solutions.

iManila is a full-service business web development company in the Philippines ready to help you with WordPress website creation or building an ecommerce website for your business. From web design and development and website update and maintenance, to web hosting, email hosting, and technical, desktop and remote support, we are your team. Aside from this, we are also a website and mobile applications development company specializing in customized web systems for businesses in different industries and a top digital marketing agency that provides a wide range of digital marketing services. Talk to us!

Write Like a Pro: Tips to Writing Website Content That Attracts and Engages

“It only takes 15 seconds to grab your readers’ attention in the first line of your website content”. You may have read this advice a million times already, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Whether you’re an experienced or an amateur writer or marketer, there’s so much to learn in crafting compelling website content.

Today, search engine rank pages (SERP) are filled with website links competing for attention and clicks. This is why you must know how to capture your readers’ attention to gain a competitive edge. In this blog, we’ll explore 8 valuable tips to help you create website content that attracts and engages your audience from start to finish.

Outline your objectives

First, you have to know what your audience needs. Your website content should fit the search intent of your readers. By learning what your audience needs, you’ll easily understand your content’s purpose and end goal. This way, the content aligns with your goals, and you can easily create an ideal call to action. Remember that your content is the perfect avenue for convincing your audience to take action.

Know your audience and competitors

Understand your target audience. Research their demographics, pain points, and interests. Get into their minds to convince them to take action. Writing website content with your readers in mind is a great way to establish trust and reliability, and learning about your competitors is also as important. Get ahead by analyzing your competitors’ content strategies to identify your positioning.

Craft an attention-grabbing first line

You only have 15 seconds to grab your readers’ attention on the first line of your content. Create a strong, powerful, and intriguing opening first sentence to convince your audience to read more. You may include questions, data, or a one-sentence story. Your main aim is to make them feel hungry for more.

Have a clean layout

Make it easy for your readers to find information quickly by breaking your content into smaller sections with subheadings, bullet points, and numbered lists with adequate white space between paragraphs. This helps your readers easily navigate your web page and ensure everything is clear.

Talk casually to your readers

It’s vital to keep your content simple and easy to understand so it gets retained in your readers’ minds. Remember to talk in layman’s terms. Don’t bombard your readers with technical jargon. They’ll likely misunderstand you. Remember to proofread your content and eliminate spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

Never forget your CTAs

This is the perfect time to encourage your readers to take action. Include clear CTAs like “Sign Up,” “Subscribe,” or “Learn More” to initiate the desired action. It’s also a good practice to include proof like testimonials or success stories to convince them further to take action. This is also an excellent strategy to eliminate doubts that may inhibit them from making a move.

Optimize for search engines

Now that you’ve written your content, it’s time you optimize them for search engines. You must be familiar with the basics of boosting your website’s SEO. Make sure that relevant keywords you want to rank for are included in titles, meta descriptions, and subheadings. Avoid keyword stuffing, as this can damage your rankings. When writing website content, remember that your main aim is to create relevant and valuable content for your audience.

Now that you’re already familiar with creating attractive and engaging website content, you’re well on your way to crafting content that converts. Keeping it simple, relevant, and optimized for search engines can easily convert your site visitors into loyal customers.

Crafting compelling website content can be complex; sometimes, you find yourself looking for professional help. With iManila, we can help you create website content that not only adheres to the tips outlined in this blog but also aligns with your business goals and target audience.

Why Outsourcing Your Server Management Makes Good Business Sense

In today’s competitive business landscape, ensuring the seamless performance of your online business is paramount. One critical aspect that often demands expert attention is server management. As a business owner, you understand the importance of strategically optimizing resources and maximizing productivity. That’s why outsourcing your server management makes perfect business sense. By entrusting this vital responsibility to a specialized third-party provider, you can unlock a myriad of benefits, from cost savings to enhanced efficiency.

In this blog, we’ll delve into five reasons why outsourcing your server management is a smart move, allowing you to focus on what truly matters: growing your business and delighting your customers.

Decreases the Risk of Server Downtimes

Maintaining your server is vital to keep your customers satisfied and coming. Having a problem with your server can put your website at risk, and may lead to negative reviews and significantly affect your business. So, make sure to only employ a team of IT professionals that can handle and manage your server when running your website. Always remember that website downtimes help you lose customers faster than you think.

Server Monitoring 24/7

When you outsource your server management, you’ll be able to focus on your business without worrying about server downtimes. The experts will monitor your website 24/7 so you won’t have to, and provide you with technical support. In addition, the total cost or expense will be lower than having an in-house team.

You’ll be Ahead of Your Competition

By entrusting your server management to a specialized third-party provider, you gain access to a wealth of expertise and resources that may not be available internally. These experts will proactively address any server-related challenges, ensuring your online presence remains secure, responsive, and scalable. Outsourcing your server management also provides you with a competitive edge by leveraging the proficiency of industry professionals who continuously fine-tune your server infrastructure.

Secured of Not Getting Hacked

Ensuring that your servers are secured is one of the top priorities of every IT team that manages any server. With an outsourced team to handle your server management, you can ensure that the experts can handle any form of hacks or cyber attacks and have the necessary skills to ensure that your data remains secure.

Lets You Focus on Growing Your Business

Outsourcing your server’s management to experts provides you with a valuable opportunity to redirect your focus toward your business. By entrusting server management responsibilities to a reliable third-party provider like iManila, you can alleviate the burden of technical intricacies and time-consuming tasks. This newfound freedom allows you to concentrate on key business initiatives such as strategic planning, product development, and customer satisfaction.

Outsourcing your server management needs empowers you to optimize your efficiency, capitalize on opportunities, and stay ahead in a competitive market, all while knowing that your server infrastructure is in capable hands. So, let the experts handle the technical aspects while you focus on steering your business toward more tremendous success. Let iManila help!

Are You Using the Right Advertising Platform for Your Business? Let’s Find Out.

Advertising has evolved into a fundamental tool for businesses striving to effectively promote their goods and services. With the rise of numerous advertising platforms offering unique features and targeting options, marketers now have many possibilities. However, identifying the platform that best aligns with your business can take time and effort.

Understanding the advertising platform is essential as it empowers you to make well-informed decisions. As a business owner, there are several factors you should consider when selecting the right platform for your advertising campaigns. These factors should include business objectives, benchmarking costs, demographics, creative options, and industry-specific factors.

If you’re still thinking about which platform to use for your business, join us as we explore the various platforms available! This blog with provide valuable insights to assist you in making the best decision.

Google

Known as the largest search engine in the world, Google is the best choice for businesses looking to capture potential customers online. Google Ads offers a variety of ad formats, including text ads, display ads, and video ads. Its powerful targeting options allow you to reach specific audiences based on keywords, demographics, and location. With Google’s vast reach, you can generate significant visibility and drive traffic to your website. However, it’s important to note that the costs of different keywords can vary. This is because of the wide range of industries and competition levels on Google. Therefore, strategic thinking is essential in determining which keywords are worth prioritizing based on your budget and expected return on investment (ROI).

Facebook

With over 2.9 million monthly active users, Facebook is a popular advertising platform that offers precise targeting options. Facebook Ads enables you to create engaging ads and target specific demographics, interests, behaviors, and even lookalike audiences. The platform’s extensive ad placement network includes Instagram and Messenger, allowing you to extend your reach further. Its advanced analytics and reporting tools provide valuable insights to optimize your campaigns and maximize your return on investment (ROI). Most Facebook users are between the ages of 25 and 34, while many are female. Facebook provides advertisers a robust platform for connecting with a diverse audience and achieving their marketing objectives.

Instagram

As a visual-oriented platform, Instagram is ideal for businesses with visually appealing products or services. One of its advantages is that it is integrated with Facebook through the Meta Business Manager, making it a convenient addition to your Facebook advertising strategy. Like Facebook, Instagram provides a range of targeting capabilities, objectives, and ad formats. This allows seamless campaign creation and management across both platforms. Since Instagram is popular among younger demographics, you can effectively showcase your brand and engage with your audience through stories, posts, and ads.

LinkedIn is the go-to platform for B2B advertising and professional networking. With over 930 million members, LinkedIn Ads offers precise targeting options, allowing you to reach professionals based on their job titles, industries, skills, and more. It provides objectives for brand awareness, website visits, engagement, video views, website conversions, and job applications. LinkedIn also offers sponsored content, text ads, and InMail messaging, making it an excellent choice for businesses targeting professionals and companies.

YouTube

This advertising platform provides an excellent opportunity for businesses to reach their target audience through video ads. YouTube ads can appear skippable or non-skippable before, during, or after videos, ensuring your message engages users in video content. You can also use the platform’s advanced targeting features to achieve your desired audience based on their demographics and interests. Engaging and high-quality video content can help you drive brand awareness and increase conversions.

TikTok

TikTok has gained immense popularity among younger demographics and presents an opportunity for businesses to tap into the platform’s engaging and viral nature. Features such as TikTok Ads allows you to create short video ads and target users based on their interests, behaviors, and even specific trends. If your target audience aligns with platform’s user base, leveraging this platform can help you generate brand awareness and drive user engagement.

Moreover, this platform also offers various ad formats to suit different advertising needs. The most common ad formats are video-centric, allowing businesses to create visually appealing content. Furthermore, Tiktok also allows static image ads, giving brands more flexibility in their advertising approach.

Conclusion

Deciding between the numerous options available should not be overwhelming. If you need assistance with your digital marketing needs, iManila is here to help. Our team of experts can guide you in selecting the most suitable advertising platform for your business. Reach out to us today! We will walk you through the process, ensuring your success every step of the way.

Clock In to Success: How Automated Timekeeping Can Help Your Business

Time is a precious resource, and in the modern workplace, every second counts. This is why smart companies implement automated timekeeping. Going beyond punching in and out, timekeeping is about optimizing productivity and unlocking a workforce’s full potential. It ensures accurate payment and compliance with labor laws, helps with resource allocation and scheduling, and provides valuable data for performance evaluation.

In the pre-digital era, companies heavily relied on manual timekeeping methods. Punch cards, time clocks, and paper timesheets were the norm, which was prone to errors, were time-consuming and lacked real-time insights. And that’s where automated timekeeping steps in as a game-changer, revolutionizing how businesses manage their workforce.

This technology-driven solution allows businesses to streamline their workforce management processes, improve accuracy, and save valuable time. From using biometric scanners to web systems, employees can easily clock in and out and managers can effortlessly monitor and analyze data in real-time.

Automated timekeeping holds a paramount of benefits. If you want to know how it can help your business, keep on reading!

Increased Accuracy

Automated timekeeping eliminates the risk of manual errors. It ensures precise recording of employee time, reducing payroll discrepancies and promoting fairness in compensation.

Time and Resource Savings

With automated timekeeping, businesses save valuable time and resources that would otherwise be spent on manual calculations and paperwork. This allows managers and HR personnel to focus on strategic initiatives and employee development.

Improved Compliance

Automated timekeeping systems can enforce break and overtime policies, ensuring compliance with labor laws and regulations. This reduces the risk of non-compliance penalties and legal issues for the organization.

Enhanced Productivity

With streamlined timekeeping processes, employees can spend less time managing attendance and more time on productive work. This leads to increased overall productivity and efficiency in the workplace.

Data-Driven Insights

Automated timekeeping systems provide valuable data and analytics, offering insights into employee attendance patterns, labor costs, and workforce trends. This data can inform decision-making on labor allocation, scheduling, and budgeting.

Employee Empowerment

Automated timekeeping often allows employees to view their own time records, request time off, and manage their schedules. This fosters transparency, engagement, and a sense of ownership among employees.

Improved Record-Keeping

Automated timekeeping systems maintain accurate and organized records of employee time and attendance. This simplifies auditing, reporting, and record-keeping processes, ensuring data integrity and facilitating easy access to historical information when needed.

Scalability

Automated timekeeping solutions can easily adapt to the changing needs and growth of the organization. They can accommodate an increasing number of employees, multiple locations, and evolving business requirements.

Seamless Integration

Automated timekeeping can seamlessly integrate with other HR and payroll systems, allowing for efficient data exchange and streamlined processes.

Cost Savings

While there may be an upfront investment in implementing an automated timekeeping system, the long-term benefits and cost savings outweigh the initial costs. These savings come from reduced errors, improved productivity, streamlined processes, and efficient use of resources.

In today’s fast-paced business world, effective time management is the way to go. Reap all the above benefits and clock in to success by implementing automated timekeeping with iManila, a trusted website and applications developer!

7 Types of Websites that will Help Build Your Online Presence

The internet is a vast place with billions of websites competing for attention. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to decide what type of website to create. However, it’s important to understand the various categories and goals of websites in order to build your online presence effectively. You can find inspiration from other websites in your category by refining your objectives and contemplating best practices.

In this blog, we’ll explore seven types of websites, each with its own unique set of goals and strategies for success. Whether you’re starting a blog, an online store, or a portfolio website, understanding these website types will help you create a successful online presence.

Blogging Website

Blogging websites provide a valuable forum for expressing your ideas, opinions, and expertise on a particular topic. They offer an opportunity to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry and attract a loyal following of readers who share your interests. You can build a strong online presence and connect with others who share your passions by consistently creating high-quality content and engaging with your audience. Whether you are looking to share your personal experiences or promote your business, blogging websites are a powerful tool for building your brand and expanding your reach.

Portfolio Website

Artists who work with tangible materials, such as paint, sculpture, or other mediums, can exhibit their creations through high-quality photographs or videos on portfolio websites. These websites are essential for creatives and freelancers who rely on their work for a living, as they substantially increase their chances of securing employment or attracting potential clients.

While portfolio websites are commonly used by service providers with technical online skills, such as graphic design, website design and development, and marketing, they can be created for virtually any type of work. Whether you are a writer, photographer, musician, or a professional in any other field, a portfolio website can help you showcase your skills, abilities, and accomplishments to a wider audience.

E-commerce website

E-commerce websites have eliminated the need for physical stores and expanded the reach of businesses. With just a few clicks, consumers can explore a vast array of products from the comfort of their homes. These websites offer a variety of secure payment options, ensuring the safety of customers’ financial information. From credit cards and digital wallets to secure online payment gateways. Additionally, e-commerce websites allow users to compare prices, features, and customer reviews, enabling informed decision-making.

Brochure Website

A brochure website acts as a digital brochure for your business, providing essential information such as your company’s history, mission, products or services, and contact details. It serves as a foundation for your online presence, giving visitors a comprehensive overview of your business.

Business Website

A business website typically includes information about the company’s history, mission, team, products or services, contact details, and any other relevant information that helps visitors understand what the business is all about. It may also incorporate features like e-commerce functionality, customer support options, and interactive elements to enhance user experience. The primary goal of a business website is to attract, inform, and engage potential customers, ultimately driving business growth and success.

Entertainment or media website

An entertainment or media website is a digital platform that offers a variety of content related to movies, TV shows, music, news, and popular culture. These websites keep users informed about the latest updates, gossip, and news in the entertainment industry. They frequently offer streaming services for movies, television programs, and music, granting users access to their preferred content. In addition, these websites feature reviews, recommendations, and user-generated discussions to help users make informed choices. Exclusive interviews, event coverage, multimedia elements, and interactive features enhance the overall user experience, creating a vibrant online community centered around entertainment and media.

Nonprofit website

A nonprofit website is specifically designed for nonprofit organizations to communicate their mission, raise awareness about their cause, and engage with supporters. These websites serve as a central hub for sharing information about the organization’s programs, initiatives, and impact. They often include features such as donation portals, volunteer opportunities, and resources for those seeking assistance. Nonprofit websites aim to inspire visitors, foster community engagement, and facilitate the necessary connections to further their social or humanitarian goals.

A successful online presence relies on creating a website that fits your needs and goals. This involves proper web design and development, regular website updates and maintenance, and choosing the right web hosting company. At iManila, we have the expertise to bring your vision to life. Let us help you create a website that not only looks good but also works for you!

Stay Safe Online: Steps to Ensure Your Business Website’s Security

Business owners face various challenges in keeping their company secure, and one of the most pressing is website’s security. As the world continues to shift towards digital operations, businesses become more vulnerable to cyber threats. This includes data breaches, hacking, and phishing attacks among others. A single security breach can have devastating consequences such as financial loss, reputation damage, and legal issues.

Hence, it’s important for businesses to take cybersecurity seriously and implement proactive measures to protect their company and customers’ information. But, what exactly are these preemptive actions? Let’s take a look!

Keep your software up-to-date

To ensure your website’s security, it is crucial to keep up with the latest updates of your software. This step is relatively easy if you are using a website builder that takes care of updates and security concerns. However, if you are using a Content Management System (CMS) platform such as WordPress, it is essential to keep track of updates and promptly apply it. This includes upgrading your core software and any installed plugins. Failure to do so can result in your website becoming obsolete and vulnerable to viruses, bugs, and malicious code from hackers.

Implement strong passwords

Use complex and unique passwords for all user accounts, including administrators, editors, and contributors. Avoid using common or easily guessable passwords, and consider using a password manager to securely store and manage your passwords. Tip: to enhance your website’s security, it is advisable to generate a password comprising a minimum of 10 characters. Make sure it includes a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.

Use SSL encryption

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption helps protect the data transmitted between your website and visitors by encrypting it. Obtain an SSL certificate and configure your website to use HTTPS, ensuring a secure connection and building trust with your users.

Upgrade to Dedicated web hosting

Dedicated web hosting ensures website security by providing a dedicated server exclusively for your website. This eliminates the risk of security vulnerabilities from other websites sharing the same server. Also, with dedicated hosting, you have full control over security settings, user permissions, and customization options. To top it off, dedicated hosting providers offer advanced security features like firewalls and intrusion detection systems for enhanced protection against threats.

Regularly backup your website

Perform regular website backups for your files and databases. This way, if your website experiences a security breach or data loss, you can restore it to a previous working state. Store backups in a secure location separate from your website’s server.

Educate yourself and your team

Stay informed about the latest security best practices, threats, and vulnerabilities. Educate yourself and your team about potential risks, such as phishing attacks or social engineering, and establish protocols for handling sensitive information and access to the website

Remember, in the realm of cybersecurity, it’s not a matter of “if”, but “when”, a potential threat may arise. It is imperative to proactively invest in securing your business’ digital infrastructure. Let iManila help you with this!

iManila is a full-service business web development company in the Philippines ready to help you with WordPress website creation or building an ecommerce website for your business. From web design and development and website update and maintenance, to web hosting, email hosting, and technical, desktop and remote support, we are your team. Aside from this, we are also a website and mobile applications development company specializing in customized web systems for businesses in different industries and a top digital marketing agency that provides a wide range of digital marketing services. Talk to us!

Agency vs. Freelancer: Choosing the Right Digital Partner

Having a strong online presence is non-negotiable in order to thrive in this digital age. And to achieve that, choosing the right digital partner is crucial – whether you need web design and development, web hosting, or digital marketing services. Oftentimes, the options boil down to two: hiring a freelancer or partnering with a digital agency.

Just like anything in this world, these two have their own strengths and weaknesses. As a business owner, it’s important to weigh these pros and cons before making a final decision. With that, let’s take a quick look at their attributes in the lens of things you must consider in choosing the right digital partner for your business.

Management

When hiring freelancers, the employers are usually the project managers. For this reason, if you have a large team of freelancers on your side, it will be a bit harder for you to manage. Some of the things that you need to do include facilitating collaboration, providing guidance, and authorizing freelancers throughout the project.

When it comes to an agency, you don’t need to be hands-on. You can depend on the team to strategize and assess your ads according to your targets and end goal. Not only that but you can be involved in the project to exactly the extent you want.

Cost

Freelancers set a rate according to their work, so you get to decide what fits your budget for your project. They have a choice to either have a fixed rate for the project or an hourly rate. Unlike agencies, it is easier to find a freelancer at almost any rate you want for any task.

Compared to freelancers, agencies are more expensive. With that said, however, they are more cost-effective in the long run since they have a team that can give you assurance. Here, you don’t need to give up your own time to the project as the payment since you can expect less back and forth with an agency, given that more hands are on deck when it comes to your project.

Skills

When hiring freelancers, it’s important to conduct thorough research to ensure they possess the specific skills required for your project. While beginners may offer limited services, experienced freelancers often specialize in niche areas, making the selection process more challenging. You need to carefully identify the exact skills you need for your specific project.

However, if you’re pressed for time and require a diverse range of skills to handle your project, a digital agency is the perfect solution. With an agency, you can easily access a wide array of services and find experts with the relevant expertise. Unlike freelancers, agencies offer a comprehensive skill set and have the capacity to tackle complex issues and optimize digital campaigns. Working with an agency means tapping into a pool of diverse talents and capabilities.

Communication

In terms of communication, working with a freelancer often means relying on a single point of contact. While this can offer a more personalized experience, this could also mean that if that person becomes unavailable, it can be challenging to find an immediate solution to address your concerns. This can cause delays and frustration in the project execution.

On the other hand, digital agencies have a structured communication approach. They often have dedicated account managers and project coordinators who act as your main points of contact. These professionals ensure smooth and consistent communication throughout the project. Also, they have a team of skilled individuals to address your specific needs and queries.

Choice of People to Work With

When hiring a freelancer, you have the advantage of handpicking the individual who best suits your project. This allows you to consider factors such as communication style, personality, and specific skills required.

On the other hand, when partnering with a digital agency, you may not have direct control over the specific specialist assigned to your project. However, you can rely on the agency’s extensive portfolio and experience to ensure high-quality work. If you find that the initially assigned account manager doesn’t meet your expectations, the agency can address your concerns. They can provide you a more suitable replacement.

In today’s digital realm, finding a reliable partner is key to unlocking success for your business. While freelancers bring specialized skills to the table, collaborating with a digital agency offers the added advantage of working with a reputable and established entity. With a proven track record of success, agencies have a talented team of professionals with diverse expertise. This enables them to provide comprehensive services and ensure the optimal use of your marketing budget. Have the peace of mind that your projects are entrusted to capable hands with a team like iManila!

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