Creating your first website - AwardSpace.com

How to Install WordPress

George Boychev — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 15:18:11 +0000

Understanding how to install WordPress and make a website with the platform is quite simple.

There are only a few steps you should follow before being able to use the CMS to create a great website.

In the following paragraphs, you will read how to install WordPress in a matter of minutes.

In short:

Register to AwardSpace

Register a Domain Name

Enter the AwardSpace Hosting Panel

Install WordPress With Zacky App Installer

Log In to the WordPress Dashboard

How to Install WordPress

To install WordPress, follow these steps:

Register to AwardSpace

To publish a website on the Web, you need a hosting plan. This is why, the first step you should take is to register to any of the AwardSpce hosting plans. Depending on your preferences, you can choose between shared hosting, semi-dedicated hosting, or VPS plans.

AwardSpace also offers a WordPress hosting plan, specially optimized for WordPress websites.

Regardless of which hosting plan you choose, the following steps are identical.

Also, read about:

Web Hosting: Everything You Need to Know

Different Types of Web Hosting Services

Register a Domain Name

Although not a mandatory element of websites, domain names remain important for each contemporary site project. To do so, check the domain name availability and purchase the one that fits your preferences and needs best.

Read Also:

What is a Domain Name

Understanding the Different Parts of Domains

How to Choose a Domain Name (6 Key Tips)

Enter the AwardSpace Hosting Panel

Now that you have registered to a hosting service and have a domain name, it is time to install WordPress.

To do so, the first thing you should do is log in to your AwardSpace hosting panel.

To log in, go to AwardSpace.com and click on the white Login button at the top right corner:

A new web page will open:

While on this page, enter your AwardSpace credentials (the email and password you chose when registering to an AwardSpace hosting service) and click the blue Login button:

This will lead you to the AwardSpace hosting panel:

Install WordPress With Zacky App Installer

Now that you have entered the AwardSpace admin panel, it is time to install WordPress.

To do so, within the hosting panel find and click on Zacky App Installer:

Once you click the icon, a new page will load:

From here you can install plenty of CMS (Content Management System) platforms, including WordPress.

Read also:

What is a Content Management System

To begin the installation process, click on the green Browse and Install Apps:

Once you click the button, a list with available platforms will appear:

While here, the first thing you should do is select which domain will be connected to the WordPress app you are about to install.

To do so, from Hostname select the domain name you registered earlier in the process:

Once you have selected your domain name, you can begin installing WordPress.

To install the CMS, click on the WordPress icon from the list of available apps:

Then click on the blue Next button, located at the bottom right corner of the screen:

Clicking the blue Next button would open a new web page, which prompts you to select the admin username and admin password and an email address for your WordPress website:

Choose your credentials and click on the blue Install application:

N.B! Remember these credentials, as you will use them to log in the WordPress admin dashboard,

Clicking the button would prompt the WordPress installation:

Once the installation process has finished, a message will appear:

Now you can log in to your WordPress website and start building

Log In to the WordPress Dashboard

To start working on your WordPress website, you should log in to the platform’s admin panel.

There are three main ways to do so:

The first way is to follow the link path from the message box that appeared once WordPress was installed:

The second way is to follow the instructions you received in your email once WordPress was installed:

The third way is to manually add an element to your domain name.

The process is simple: at the right of your domain name, you simply add

/wp-admin/

Here’s an example:

Httpt://www.examplewebsie.com/wp-admin/

Either way, you choose, your browser will open the WordPress login page:

Now you can enter your credentials log in to the WordPress admin dashboard and start working on your website:

How to Install WordPress – Conclusion

Installing WordPress is simple and fast.

You only need to follow a few quick steps before installing and using the app to create your beautiful and fully functional website.

The post How to Install WordPress appeared first on AwardSpace.com.

What is a Website Builder

George Boychev — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 08:39:28 +0000

Whether you wish to share your thoughts online, launch an e-commerce store, or expand the online presence of your business, having a website is essential.

However, delving deep into web development and web building is a daunting task, and hiring an expert developer might be costly.

This is where website builders come into play.

Website builders are handy platforms that help you create a website without dealing with web development and instead provide you with intuitive tools and functions that make building a website straightforward and fast.

Website builders are an affordable and very versatile alternative, compared to other ways to create a website, and because of their numerous advantages have become very popular among Internet users.

Table of Contents:

What is a Website Builder

How Website Builders Work

Popular Website Builders

How to Build a Website with a Builder

What is a Website Builder

A website builder is a software platform that allows you to create a fully functional website without understanding, writing, and editing code. Such platforms provide you with numerous features and tools you can use to design, customize, and work on your website simply and intuitively.

Website builders are a very convenient solution for freelancers, business owners, and people with limited tech knowledge who want to publish a website without investing too much in learning informatics and web development.

How Website Builders Work

Website builders feature various easy-to-use functions such as drag-and-drop that, at their core, convert any action you take into code.

Furthermore, to make your site-building project even easier, most site builders come with a variety of themes. These are pre-made design templates suitable for different types of websites. For example, the theme for a given ecommerce website would be different from the theme for a personal website.

Depending on the type of site builder, the customization options for each theme can vary – you can work with color schemes, modify different website elements, choose text design, incorporate media, add contact forms, and animations, and so much more.

Popular Website Builders

There are many different website builders out there. However, some are more popular than others. In the following sections, you will read about the most popular site builders and their features.

WordPress

By far, WordPress is the most popular website builder. The platform is very versatile and is suitable for numerous types of websites. Depending on how you use it, WordPress is completely free, and should you decide to use premium features, it can remain one of the cheapest website builders out there.

You can use WordPress as an ecommerce website builder, small business website builder, and an online blog platform. In fact, you can use WordPress to build any kind of website.

Thanks to its user-friendly interface and vast library of themes and plugins, the WordPress website builder is a great choice for your website.

If you are interested in creating a website with WordPress, then have a look at our special WordPress hosting service, register a domain, and start working on your website today.

Furthermore, you can use the vast AwardSpace library of WordPress tutorials to get the website builder deeper and create an even better website.

Read also:

How to Install WordPress

Zacky Website Builder

Zacky is a simple drag-and-drop website builder that helps you craft a website easily via intuitive drag-and-drop functionality and easy-to-use tools.

If you are interested in trying out Zacky, then you can register for any of our hosting services – Zacky website builder comes as a standard feature on all our hosting plans.

Also, if you are not sure whether Zacky is the proper website builder for you, you can always try it out for free with our special free web hosting plan.

Joomla

Joomla is an open-source CMS (content management system) that is widely used by webmasters to craft dynamic websites and manage them via a handy admin panel and tons of handy tools.

If you are interested in trying out Joomla, register for any of the AwardSpace hosting plans, where the website builder is freely available.

Drupal

Drupal is another open-source website builder that can help you craft a beautiful website, an ecommerce store, or anything else via handy tools and an intuitive interface.

Drupal is the foundation of numerous websites worldwide, ranging from personal blogs, and corporate and political websites, to governmental and NGO platforms.

Try out Drupal for free with the AwardSpce free hosting plan.

How to Build a Website with a Builder

Creating a website with a builder can be very quick and easy. You simply need to register for a web hosting plan, register a domain name for your website, and install your preferred website builder. Then, you can start adding pages, work on the design, come up with content ideas, and eventually publish your beautiful and fully functional website.

Here’s how to proceed:

Register to any of the AwardSpace hosting plans. If you are not sure which one is for you, then you can start your website-building journey with our forever-free hosting plan.
Register a domain name.
Install WordPress or any other website builder from the vast AwardSpace library.
Start working on your website today.

Conclusion

Website builders are very handy, as they help numerous organizations and people build a website without delving into web development or hiring experts.

Read also:

How do Websites Work

What Makes a Great Website

What are Different Ways to Build a Website

What is a Content Management System

How to Install WordPress

Website Building 101: Quick Starting Guide

How to Log into Your CMS Dashboard

8 Most Important Website Elements

How to Get Started with Affiliate Marketing

The post What is a Website Builder appeared first on AwardSpace.com.

What is a Content Management System

George Boychev — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 08:18:03 +0000

Although the Internet has become more accessible and easier to use, not everyone feels confident in creating a website on their own using only coding and web development techniques.

This is where a content management system (CMS) comes into play.

CMS platforms have become indispensable tools that provide users with various features allowing them to easily and effectively create, edit, publish, and manage digital content thus crafting beautiful and fully-functional websites.

Table of Contents:

What is a Content Management System

Types of Content Management Systems

Content Management System Examples

How to Build a Website with a Content Management System

What is a Content Management System

A content management system, or a CMS, is a type of software application that helps users create, manage, and publish a website without using coding or acquiring and applying any IT skills. In short, a CMS helps you create a website without using any technicalities.

The great advantage of CMS platforms is that they provide users with numerous tools and features that make the entire site-building process straightforward – whether users aim at creating an online blog, a product description, a presentation, or anything else, CMS platforms offer everything needed to users, so they can easily complete the content creation process.

In most cases, CMS platforms come with intuitive interfaces and drag-and-drop functionality, so even users with limited technical skills can work and contribute to the site creation process.

Furthermore, a great advantage of content management platforms is that they allow collaboration between multiple users. This means that several users can work on the same content file and via the available permission levels and control mechanisms, teams can work together to develop and refine a piece of content without any technical issues and without interrupting the work of teammates.

Types of Content Management Systems

Different types of content management systems aim to help users manage content in different business niches:

Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS)

Learning content management systems take a central place in the educational sphere. LCMSs are specially designed for learning environments and provide all the tools and features needed for better management and delivery of educational content such as courses, exams, articles, multimedia materials, and similar.

Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS)

Enterprise content management systems are especially designed for business organizations that work with vast amounts of content. In such situations, ECMS become very valuable, because they provide various types of methods, tools, and strategies to capture, automate, and secure these large amounts of data and content related to the enterprise processes.

Web Content Management System (WCMS)

Web content management systems provide users with handy tools and easy-to-use features that help them craft and maintain web pages. WCMS platforms can help you build an entire fully functional website without the need to apply code or delve into any other IT technical concept.

Video Content Management System (VCMS)

VCMS platforms are specially designed to help you organize, store, and manage video content. VCMSs come with specific tools that make video content management easier and more efficient.

Such platforms automate various common tasks such as video quality, buffering settings, tags, and similar, so you can quickly and efficiently work on your media files.

Content Management System Examples

There are numerous different examples of CMS platforms. The most notable ones are:

WordPress

By far, WordPress is the most popular CMS. Nearly 60% of all websites in existence are based on this platform.

Preferred by users because of its user-friendly interface and vast library of plugins, the WordPress content management system is a reliable and very versatile option, especially suitable for creating and managing online blogs, business websites, and various types of e-commerce platforms.

If you are interested in making a website with the world’s most popular CMS, then check out our special WordPress hosting plan and launch today!

If you are not sure how to use WordPress, then have a look at our vast library of WordPress tutorials.

Read also:

How to Install WordPress

Drupal

Another very popular CMS, Drupal is an open-source platform that is very flexible and reliable. It is most often used for large websites with a lot of content.

In most cases, Drupal is the preferred choice by developers who work on complex projects that require tons of customization options.

Drupal is a free and open-source CMS that is a part of all AwardSpace hosting plans. So, if you are interested in building a website, using this particular platform, you can do so with any of our web hosting services.

If you want to try out whether Drupal fits your needs, then register for the AwardSpace free hosting plan, which includes Drupal as a free-to-use platform, and try it out today.

Joomla

Joomla is a user-friendly CMS that strikes the perfect balance between simplicity in use and providing users with advanced features. Joomla is the foundation of numerous large-scale websites.

The CMS is included in all AwardSpace hosting plans as a free feature.

If you want to test Joomla out, then you can do so with the AwardSpace free hosting plan.

How to Build a Website with a Content Management System

Creating a website with a CMS is simple. Here are the steps you can follow to start your journey:

Subscribe to a hosting plan. If you are not sure which one fits your needs, then try out our free hosting plan and start from there.
Register a domain name.
Install WordPress or other CMSs of your choice on your web server.
Start adding pages and content to your website.

Conclusion

Content Management System is a platform that allows you to create, manage, and deliver various types of content. Such platforms are beneficial for teams that work with tons of data, as they provide collaboration options, levels of access, and numerous handy features that make the entire content management simple.

The greatest advantage of using a content management system is that it can be used to create a fully functional and beautiful website without learning coding or any other IT concept. Most CMS platforms come with handy drag-and-drop functionality and tons of tools that help you design your web pages in a way that best fits your business and your personal preferences.

Read also:

How do Websites Work

What Makes a Great Website

What are Different Ways to Build a Website

What is a Website Builder

How to Install WordPress

Website Building 101: Quick Starting Guide

How to Log into Your CMS Dashboard

8 Most Important Website Elements

How to Get Started with Affiliate Marketing

The post What is a Content Management System appeared first on AwardSpace.com.

8 Most Important Website Elements

George Boychev — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 15:47:36 +0000

Whether you are a business owner, or an enthusiast, including the right elements in your website can result in more site visits, more returning users, and greater conversions.

To be able to achieve this, consider incorporating these 10 essential website elements and make a great website that would ensure a great user experience and greater revenue.

8 Most Important Website Elements

Regardless of your niche, our suggestions for website elements can make any type of website better and help you establish a more prominent online presence.

In the following sections, you will read about:

Purpose
Simplicity
Visual Design
Content
Navigation
Web Friendliness
Information Accessibility
Call To Action Elements

Purpose

Before you start working on your website, you should clarify its purpose. This would help you get inspired about future design and also would help you create your content easier and more precise.

Keep in mind that contemporary Internet users are used to finding information very quickly on the web and getting their queries and questions answered precisely and on the spot.

Knowing your website purpose can help you stick to only relevant content, and can instantly answer any visitor’s need, which helps build trust in your brand and can also help turn visitors into leads and leads into customers.

Simplicity

It can be tempting to include tons of design elements within your website. However, keep in mind that way too cluttered websites can result in an overall dissatisfactory user experience.

Instead, focus on clean design with just the essential set of elements on each of your pages. Also, make sure that all elements are aligned with your site purpose for optimal impact on positive user experience.

As a rule of thumb, avoid including design elements that distract your site visitors from digesting your content and instead make sure that each piece of content across your pages is easily reachable and helps visitors instantly find what they are looking for on your website.

Visual Design

Aesthetics are an important website element. The first step to making a great impression and making your website more appealing is to utilize great graphics, an eye-pleasing color scheme, and high-quality images.

Make sure everything is consistent in terms of colors, and overall design theme and fits your website’s overall vibe.

Content

You will often hear that content is king. And there is a good reason behind this statement. Not only content is the main reason why people would want to visit your website, but also helps you with SEO and higher result page rankings.

When you work on your website, always provide fresh, to-the-point, and relevant content that is useful to site visitors and would make them come back for more. Furthermore, makes it easy to digest and concise.

In short, content is one of the website elements with vast importance and by focusing on delivering only high-quality content, you build trust among your visitors, which can later result in numerous benefits – more visitors, higher rankings, monetization, and partnership opportunities.

Navigation is another essential website element.

Good navigation can be the distinctive line between a great and bad website. So, when working on your pages, make sure to spend enough time on your website navigation, so to ensure the best possible user experience.

When working on-site navigation, make sure it helps people know where they are and go where they want to on your website without any difficulties. Include a sitemap, breadcrumbs, main menu, and additional navigation elements that can be of use to your site visitors at all times.

By providing great navigation for your visitors, you grant them with satisfactory browsing experience that can result in more visits and more chances for conversions.

Web friendliness

No matter how beautiful, informative, and easy-to-use your website is, if no one can open it, it becomes practically useless. To avoid such a scenario, put effort into search engine optimization, to help your pages rank higher in search results and ensure a higher number of site visitors at all times.

Remember that search engines such as Google and Yahoo focus on delivering their users satisfactory user experience, which means that they would suggest websites that they consider useful, informative, and trustworthy. This means that you should always meet the requirements of search engines for a good website, the so-called ranking factors and monitor constantly for what you can do better on your website to add a kick to SEO.

Read also:

Information Accessibility

If you are building a business website, or focusing on selling various products and services, there would likely be visitors who would search for specific types of information across your web pages. Some of them may need to access your phone number, email, or any other kind of information.

For this reason, make sure to place key information in plain sight, so everyone can see it right away when they visit your website.

Furthermore, make sure to include a visible search function, to provide your site visitors with the opportunity to quickly find whatever they are after on your website.

Call To Action Elements

Although your website can be informative and trustworthy, your site visitors can still be doubting whether to purchase to subscribe to your newsletter, or anything else.

This is where Call to Action (CTA) elements come into play.

In short, CTAs are texts, buttons, and sections on your website that prompt a visitor to take further steps – as mentioned, subscribe, download a file, browse products, make a phone call, or make a purchase.

If placed in the right spot and bear the right message, CTAs can help you greatly with conversions and finding new paying customers for your business.

8 Most Important Website Elements – Conclusion

Read also:

The post 8 Most Important Website Elements appeared first on AwardSpace.com.

What Makes a Great Website

George Boychev — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:03:20 +0000

A great website is a very powerful marketing tool that can enhance brand awareness and attract new visitors and paying customers, and as well help you finds various new ways of monetization.

Regardless of your niche and site purpose, you should always focus on making your website fast and performing flawlessly, pages should be aesthetically pleasing, informative, and easy to use.

This is why we share our key tips that will help you create a great website.

In this article:

Beautiful Design and Pleasing Aesthetics

State Your Website Purpose

Provide Valuable and To-The-Point Fresh Content

Create Easy-to-Use Navigation

Optimize Your Website for Various Devices

Make Sure Your Website Performs Smoothly

Focus on Providing Security

What Makes a Great Website

There are a few steps that you can take to enhance the aesthetics of your site and make it useful for your audience. In the following paragraphs, you will read about handy tips and how you can stand out from the crowd.

A Beautiful Design and Pleasing Aesthetics

Although your website can be very informative and grant visitors just the right content, chances are that the first impression is created by the visuals of your pages.

This means that you should focus on presenting your site content via a clear visual structure and eye-pleasing color scheme.

As a rule of thumb, use high-quality and optimized images, don’t clutter your content, and make use of the space across your web pages – sites with too many components and cluttered text/media can be distracting for visitors and therefore force them to leave.

State Your Website Purpose

When building a website, it is important to state why it exists and what functions it will perform. In this manner, if you want to create an e-commerce store, your priority should be selling various products, and therefore state that this website’s main purpose is to be an online store.

Although apparent, it is important to make such a statement, as it immediately informs your potential visitors what kind of content there might be across your pages and what features they can expect on your pages.

Just like the e-commerce store example, a law services website should claim a similar statement – potential visitors should immediately be aware that the website promotes legal services and once they open it, most likely they will find information about the attorneys’ fields of specialization, price plans, and areas of expertise.

Similar to the precise purpose, a website should also provide precise content information. Continue reading to find out more.

Provide Valuable and To-The-Point Fresh Content

In most cases, people use the Internet to search for precise answers to their queries and quickly find services and products they can benefit from.

This means that generally, people expect to find content that is precise and to the point.

High-quality content can also help you with SEO.

For example, your site visitors would expect to know almost instantly what your website is all about, what kind of products and services you promote, contact info, price lists, and working hours without any kind of unnecessary distraction and worthless information.

So, to make sure people stay on your pages and find your website useful, you should grand them all the info right away and in the most precise way possible.

To make a great website in terms of content, you should also focus on addressing your audience’s pain points and providing them with a quick solution for their needs. This means that you can include press releases, testimonials, and reviews for your services and products, all along with useful and to-the-point articles, should you decide to create a blog section.

Read also:

What is SEO and how Does it Work

After you come up with an appealing design and useful content, it is time to focus on the navigation of your web pages. This step is very important, as well-structured and simple-to-use site navigation can make a good website become an awesome one.

It also helps with search result rankings, as search engines give an advantage to websites with well-structured and intuitive navigation.

Your website navigation should be created in such a way that your visitors can understand and use it with ease. This will help them immediately go to their desired destination – products page, sign-up section, blog, and contacts.

To do so, include visible menus with a clear hierarchy across all your web pages, along with an informative site journey section, so they know exactly where they are at any given moment. It is also important to include context – give some more information via images and text. The easier and more informative your navigation is, the happier your visitors will be.

Also, use various types of menus such as drop-down, sandwich, and mega menus – when placed in the right places across your pages, they can greatly increase the overall browsing experience.

It is also important to include a visible and search section, so your visitors quickly find whatever they are looking for, just like including CTA buttons – once a visitor is convinced he wants to reach you or use your services/products, he should be able to do so quickly and with ease.

So include CTA buttons, but don’t overuse them – cluttering too much information can become displeasing for your audience.

Optimize Your Website for Various Devices

People likely land on your website via their smartphone or tablet. After all, such devices are used for many reasons – web browsing, entertainment, and even work.

This is why, you should invest time to optimize your website, so it looks and functions well on mobile devices. Doing so will greatly increase the user experience and trust in your brand and website.

When it comes to this kind of optimization, focus on delivering your content in the right way and keep an eye on the visual aesthetics – making it look visually pleasing can increase session times and even contribute to conversions.

Make Sure Your Website Performs Smoothly

If you want to create an awesome website, you should constantly be looking for technical issues and fix them as soon as possible.

Even a website with a great design and useful content can be avoided if it doesn’t function properly – menus are broken, web pages do not open, images are not displayed and the loading speed is slow.

This is why you should periodically be searching for such issues and try to fix them.

This is important for two main reasons:

Such errors decrease user satisfaction and can result in low traffic and a low overall number of conversions.
Search engines will decrease your site’s position in search results and will give an advantage to better-performing websites.

Also, along with fixing issues on your website, you should subscribe to a reliable hosting service – by doing so you make sure that your website will be performing effortlessly in any given scenario and regardless of traffic peaks and various maintenance procedures.

Focus on Providing Robust Security

Protecting your pages and visitors from malware, cyber-attacks, and viruses should be a task with great priority when working on your website.

When doing so, your site visitors will build trust in your site and brand and will be more confident when browsing and interacting with your web pages.

Knowing that a website is safe, visitors are also more confident to make a purchase via your site.

So, when it comes to online security, among other measures, you should install SSL certificates and various security plugins, should you be using a site-building platform such as WordPress.

Conclusion

There are numerous factors that make a website great.

Although it all can look a bit daunting at first, it is always a good idea to spend some time and effort crafting a beautiful design, high-quality content, and a functional navigation system. This, along with focusing on security and optimization will make your website an awesome online place and will stand out from the crowd.

Read Also:

How Do Websites Work

What are the Different Ways to Build a Website

Quick Starting Guide: Website Building 101

What is a Content Management System

How to Install WordPress

How to Log Into Your CMS Dashboard

8 Most Important Website Elements

What is a Website Builder

How to Get Started with Affiliate Marketing

The post What Makes a Great Website appeared first on AwardSpace.com.

Website Building 101: Quick Starting Guide

George Boychev — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:56:49 +0000

Once you know how websites work and what makes a great website, it is time to start your website building project.

Whether you want to make a site for your small business, a portfolio, or a personal website, the process is not as complex as you might think. In fact, it is quite simple, given that there are various site builders and systems that can help you with the task.

Quick Starting Guide: Website Building 101

The site-building project is comprised of several steps:

Applying for a hosting service
Registering a domain name for your website
Choosing a CMS
Adding content

Each step in the process is as important as the rest, so keep close attention to every suggestion.

Apply for a Hosting Service

Each website building project begins with a good hosting plan.

To be able to launch your website, you should apply for a hosting service.

Hosting is a business service that allows you to store your website files on a powerful computer, called a server. The idea is that servers are always working and connected to the Web and are well-protected from malware and viruses.

Register a Domain Name

The domain name, or simply a domain, is the unique name of your website that sets its unique place on the web. Domains are a fundamental part of every website and without one, you can’t publish your website on the Web.

In technicality, domains are meaningful phrases and words that mask the Internet Protocol address. The latter is a string of numbers and dots that precisely tell browsers and DNSs where your website is hosted and therefore can access it.

How to register a domain name

Registering a domain name is quite a simple process.

Once you have registered to any of the AwardSpace hosting plans, you have access to a hosting panel. From there you can quickly register your chosen domain.

Once you enter the hosting panel, click on Domain Manager:

This will lead you to the domain registration page:

Now, add your preferred domain name, and click the Check Domain button. This will show you all the available options with the phrase you selected:

Select the option that fits you the most and follow the instructions.

Website Building with a CMS

Once you have subscribed to a hosting plan and have registered your domain name, it is time to take the next step – choose how to start your website building project.

Since using a CMS is by far the most popular and flexible way of constructing a website, we will show you this method in this guide.

The first thing you should do is log in to the AwardSpace hosting panel and head to Zacky Installer:

Then, click on the green Browse and Install Apps button:

This will open a list of available CMS platforms that you can quickly install for free:

Select one and follow the instructions. At the end of the installation process, you will receive an email with login details.

NB! In another article, we talk about more details on how to log in to your preferred CMS:

How to Log Into Your CMS Dasboard

Add Website Content

Once you have received an email and opened your CMS of choice, it is time to add content to your new website.

By content, we mean including text and various media files such as images and videos. Also, you can distribute your content into static pages and blog posts, should you decide to create one.

Add New Pages

Here are some quick tips that you can use when working on your pages:

Distribute your content logically into several web pages. For example, if you want to create a business website, you can distribute your content into such web pages – Homepage, Services, About Us, and Contact Us.

Don’t add too much content to your pages, as this might be distracting for your visitors.
State the point of the web page and stick to it. If you want to create a web page with your products and services, include content regarding them and nothing else.
Add high-quality images and other media files, as they make a good impression.

Add Blog Posts

If you focus on creating a blog or simply want to include such a section, then have a look at these suggestions:

Distribute your blog content into logical categories. This will help you and your visitors browse more easily.
Stick to the point when working on your posts – If you are writing an article about the characteristics of a new smartphone, keep to the point and don’t include anything unrelated to the main topic.
Add media files, as they make your content easier to digest and also add a kick to the overall visual aesthetics of your posts.

If you wish to elaborate, then check out what makes a website great.

Website Building is Easy

Website building is surely a thrilling experience.

Also, it can be simple, given that modern software allows quick setup and easy maintenance.

If you wish to publish a website, then all you need to do is subscribe to a hosting service, register a domain name, and select a CMS.

Then, you can start experimenting with various layouts, text ideas, topics, and everything else that you believe will contribute to the World Wide Web.

Read also:

The post Website Building 101: Quick Starting Guide appeared first on AwardSpace.com.

What Are the Different Ways to Build a Website

George Boychev — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:14:15 +0000

One of the most effective ways of establishing an online presence for you and your organization is to build a website. This will help you reach a wider audience and attract many new customers and clients.

However, you may be wondering how websites work and what are the different ways to build a website.

There are four main ways by which you can build your website.

Each of these approaches can be very effective in various situations and knowing when to revert to each one can be very beneficial for both you and your online goals.

So, without further due, let’s find out more about the ways you can use to create a beautiful website.

What Are the Different Ways to Build a Website

There are four main ways you can use to create a website:

Use website builder platforms
Use a CMS
Build a website via coding
Hire a professional web developer

Website Builders

By far, this is the best option for non-technical people who do not want to delve into web development and coding.

Website builders are software platforms that provide you with various tools and pre-defined designs that you can choose from and incorporate into your project.

The idea of site builders is that they come with a user-friendly interface that makes the site crafting process very intuitive and straightforward.

Also, many site builders have free plans, which makes them an ideal solution for people who don’t want to invest funds and aim at making a simple website with not much content.

For example, AwardSpace’s free and versatile Zacky Website Builder can help you create a beautiful and fully functional website in a matter of minutes.

Should you revert to this option for your future website, it is also important to know that the different site builders offer different features and when choosing one, you should do so with your website’s purpose in mind.

Content Management Systems

Content management systems (CMS) are software platforms that help you create, manage, and publish various types of content on the web.

Similar to site builders, CMSs don’t require technical skills such as coding and programming and come with a user-friendly interface with numerous handy tools that help you craft a website quickly and easily.

By using a CMS, you can create and manage your content and web pages via the platform’s administration panel and all your changes can be instantly published.

One more great advantage of CMSs is that they offer collaborative work. This means that numerous users can use the same CMS to work on the same website all at the same time.

This is why a CMS is a great option, should

you wish to work with a team and distribute various tasks regarding your website construction and maintenance.

If you are interested in the topic, check out our comprehensive article explaining everything about content management systems:

What is a Content Management System

The most popular CMS platform out there is WordPress. Famous for its reliability and flexibility, WordPress is the foundation of 60% of the websites on the web.

If you want to launch a website with WordPress, subscribe to our special WordPress hosting plan, register a domain, and start your journey today!

Also, if you want to try out the AwardSpace hosting services, then start with our free hosting plan and launch your website project today.

Other popular CMS platforms are:

Joomla
Drupal
Magento

AwardSpace offers a wide range of CMS platforms for free with each of our hosting plans. Check out the AwardSpace hosting services and start building today.

All AwardSpace hosting plans come with a wide list of CMS platforms that you can choose from completely for free. You only need to register and start building your website.

Build a website with Programming Languages

If you wish to delve deep into site building, then opting for programming languages is the way to go.

Almost all websites are created via various types of coding languages – PHP, Java, and Python. Also, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are widely used.

This is a great option if you wish to build a website from scratch and fine-tune every single detail of your web pages. Also, this is a great way to design and incorporate various specific features across your web pages.

However, unlike site builders and CMSs, this option requires technical knowledge in the field of site building and oftentimes requires vast amounts of time and effort, so your endeavors can become a beautiful and functional website.

When using this method, along with your coding skills, you would only need to register a domain name and find a reliable hosting provider for your project.

Hire a Web Developer

By far, hiring a professional developer is the easiest of all suggested solutions. However, it is also the most expensive option.

Hiring a web developer (or a team of developers) can be very beneficial if you wish to have a unique website and unique features across your web pages. This is especially effective for а small business websites or portfolio web pages.

If budget is not an issue for your case, then hiring a professional is also very beneficial should you wish to save time and effort and spend them elsewhere, while experts are working on your web pages.

Similar to using a CMS, along with your coding skills, you would only need to register a domain name and find a reliable hosting provider for your project. This is why, i

f you are just starting your site-building journey, it is advisable to choose to create your website via a site builder or a CMS, as it is simple, fast, and free.

To see which method is most suitable for you, try out our free hosting plan use our site builder or any of the suggested CMS platforms, and begin your process today.

Conclusion

Each suggested method comes with various advantages and specifications and to choose the right one for you, you should first consider several factors such as:

Cost – how much are you willing to spend for the site-building project
Scope – how big or how minimalistic your site should become
Time – how much time are you willing to spend on the development and maintenance of the web pages
Goals– defining what the purpose of the website is can help you decide which method will be most effective for your case

However, before you start delving into the various ways of building a website, it is important to define the site’s purpose and several technical details.

This means that you should come up with a domain name (the unique name that you will give to your site) and find a reliable hosting provider (a business service that hosts your website files on servers, so it always remains online). This will allow you to focus your attention entirely on crafting the pages without worrying about such technical matters in the future.

Also, determining what type of content you would publish and how it will be distributed among your web pages can help you decide which of the four suggested ways is best for you.

All this means that you can quickly choose an option, regarding how comprehensive your website should be, do you wish to include some unique design and functionality features, and how much time and effort you wish to spend.

Read also:

The post What Are the Different Ways to Build a Website appeared first on AwardSpace.com.

How to Log In to Your CMS Admin Panel

George Boychev — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:03:03 +0000

We already covered the topic of how websites work, and what makes a good website.

Now, it is time to understand how you can log in to your preferred CMS platform and start building your website.

In this article, we are focusing on CMSs, as these are the most popular means of creating a website. If you are not sure what a CMS is, then have a look at our article explaining the various ways of building a website where you can find detailed information about the topic.

How to Log In to Your CMS Admin Panel

Depending on the CMS you choose, the login procedure can vary. In the following paragraphs, you will read how to login the dashboard of:

Table of Contents:

WordPress

Joomla!

Drupal

Grav

Concrete5

Elgg

MediaWiki

Moodle

Opencart

phpBB

Prestashop

SuiteCRM

Zencart

TYPO3

ZENphoto

Vtiger

Before we see how this happens, however, it is first worth knowing how to access and install any (or all) these platforms on your server.

To do so, you should first register for any of the AwardSpace plans. If you are not sure which plan suits you the most, then try out the free subscription, as it is flexible enough.

How to Log In to WordPress

To log in to your WordPress, open your Internet browser and type in your domain name. Then at the end add

/wp-admin

For example, if your site’s domain name is www.examplewebsite.com, then at the end add /wp-admin, so it looks like this:

www.examplesite.com/wp-admin

This will lead you to the login page of WordPress:

Once there, add the credentials you registered when installing the platform and you will be able to enter the WordPress admin panel:

How to Log In to Joomla

First, openo open your Joomla! admin panel. To do so, type in your full domain name in your web browser, and at the end add /administrator

An example would look like this:

www.examplewebsite.com/administrator

Once you do, you will open the login page:

Type in your credentials (the ones you used when installing the app) and you should be able to log in to the admin panel:

How to Log In to Drupal

Open your Internet browser and type in your website’s full domain name. This will open the Drupal welcome page:

Once there, click on the Log In button at the top right and type in the credentials you selected while installing the platform:

Once you do so, you will enter the Drupal dashboard:

How to log in to Grav

In your web browser type in your site’s full domain name and add /admin at the end. For example, if your domain is www.examplesite.com, then add the final string, so it looks like this:

www.examplesite.com/admin

This will lead you to the login page of Grav:

Type in the login details you chose when installing the app and you can log in to your dashboard:

How to log In to Concrete5

To log in to Concrete5, in your Internet browser type in the domain name of your website and add /index.php/login/ at the end.

For example, if your site’s domain name is www.examplewebsite.com, make it www.examplewebsite.com/index.php/login/

This will lead you to the login page:

Now, type in the credentials you chose when installing the app and hit Sign In. This will lead you to the Concrete5 dashboard:

How to Log In Elgg

To log in, type in your full domain name in your web browser, and at the end add /admin. The result should look like this:

www.examplewebsite.com/admin

This will lead you to the login page:

Now, type in the login credentials you chose when installing the platform and you will enter the Elgg admin panel:

How to Log In MediaWiki

Type in the domain name of your website into your browser and add the symbol “/” at the end. For example:

www.mywebsite.com/

This will lead you to the MediaWiki login page:

To log in, click the Log in button at the top right corner and type in the credentials you chose when installing the app:

Once you do, you will access the MediaWiki admin panel:

How to Log In Moodle

To log in to Moodle, enter your site’s domain name into your browser and add /admin at the end. An example looks like this:

www.examplewebsite.com/admin

This will lead you to the Moodle login page:

Enter the credentials you chose when installing the platform and you will open the Moodle admin panel:

How to Log In OpenCart

To log in OpenCart, in your web browser type in the domain name of your website and at the end add /admin. It should look like this:

www.examplewebsite.com/admin

This will lead you to the OpenCart login screen:

Now, enter the credentials you chose when installing the platform. Once you do, you will be able to browse the admin panel:

How to Log In phpBB

To log in phpBB, simply add the symbol “/” at the end of your domain name in your web browser. An example is:

www.examplewebsite.com/

This address will lead you to the phpBB login page:

To log in, use the credentials you choose when installing the platform. Then click on Login. This will open the phpBB admin panel:

How to Log In PrestaShop

Via your AwardSpace hosting panel, open Zacky App Installer, select a domain name, and click on PrestaShop:

Then, choose the credentials that you will use to log in to the platform and install it:

Once the installation process is finished, you will see a message in the AwardSpace hosting panel with information that will lead you to the login page of PrestaShop:

Follow the link in the message, so you open the login page:

Now, enter your credentials and click on LOG IN. This will lead you to the admin panel:

How to Log In SuiteCRM

When the process is finished, type down your website’s domain in your browser and add the symbol “/” at the end, so you can access the login page. The URL should look like this:

www.examplewebsite.com/

This URL will lead you to the suiteCRM login page:

Once there, type in the login details you chose when installing the app and hit LOG IN. This will open the application’s admin panel:

How to Log In Zencart

Once you install Zencart on your AwardSpace server, you will see two links – one leads to the front end of your website, and the other to the admin panel login. Click the second one:

Once you do, you will open the login page:

While here, add you login credentials that you chose when installing Zencart, then hit Submit. This will lead you to the admin panel:

How to Log In TYPO3

When you install TYPO3 on your ÀwardSpace server, you can use the displayed link to access the TYPO3 login page:

Follow the URL, so you open the login page:

Once there, type in the login details that you chose when installing TYPO3 and hit Login. This will lead you to the admin dashboard:

How to Log In ZENphoto

To log in ZENphoto, type in your domain name, and at the end add /zp-core/admin.php

An example would be:

www.examplewebsite.com//zp-core/admin.php

This will lead you to the ZENphoto login page:

While here, enter the login details that you chose when installing ZENphoto and click Log In. This will lead you to the admin panel:

How to Log In Vtiger

To log in Vtiger, simply add the symbol “/” at the end of your associated domain name.An example is:

www.examplesite.com/

This URL will lead you to the login page:

Once there, type in the credentials you choose when installing the app and click on the Sign In button. This will open the admin panel.

Conclusion

By using AwardSpace’s admin panel you can quickly and easily install and log in to any CMS.

Simply log in to the hosting panel, register a domain name, choose an application via Zacky App Installer, and follow the instructions.

When working with our clients, we want to give them the best hosting services by providing them with reliable technical infrastructure and a user-friendly interface that helps them craft a beautiful and fully functional website in no time.

If you are interested in our services, you can have a look at our hosting solutions, premium hosting services, and free hosting plans.

Also, you can contact us if you need more information about our services.

Read also:

The post How to Log In to Your CMS Admin Panel appeared first on AwardSpace.com.

How Do Websites Work

George Boychev — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 06:14:53 +0000

Before you start working on your first website, it is worth knowing how do websites work. This will help you understand the Internet better and can also help you deal with various challenges on the road to crafting a successful website.

This is why in the following paragraphs you will read about all the components that make a website work. These include:

What is a website
What is a domain
What is a web browser
What is a server

Read also:

How Do Websites Work

When you open your Internet browser (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari) and type in the name of the website you wish to visit, a complex technical process begins:

First, the web browser takes the name of the website and sends it to the server that contains the website files. However, before this information reaches the server, it first passes through а Domain Name System (DNS). This system checks which IP address corresponds with the website domain name and then makes sure that the Internet browser connects with the server that contains the right website files.

This part of the process is called a request.

Once the request is sent to the server containing the website files, it processes these files and allows the browser to “read” them. Once the browser acquires these files, it displays them on your computer screen, so you can browse the website freely.

In most cases, this is how websites work. This process requires only a few seconds to complete.

What is a Website

To understand how do websites work, you should first understand what is a website.

A website is a term that encompasses a set of files, images, text, and other data, contained in a single domain name that can be acquired by an Internet browser.

Websites are oftentimes comprised of web pages – parts of the website that logically distribute its content, so it is easy for visitors to navigate and search for a specific piece of content. In the example of an imaginary shopping website, the web pages could be:

Welcome Page (a.k.a. Homepage) that lets visitors know what kind of content they will find on this site
Products page which showcases all available products for sale
Contact Us contains various information about reaching site owners.
About Us, is a page that gives information about the site owners and details about their work, experience, and

The web pages of a single website are connected to a common domain name and stored on a common web server.

Each website can be publicly accessible, or private, depending on the preferences of the site owner.

All publicly available websites comprise the World Wide Web.

Websites are used for a variety of reasons – promoting a business and its services, showcasing personal art, or professional portfolio, sharing images, or, for example, as an online store. Possibilities are quite abundant.

What is a Web Browser

The Internet browser, web browser, or simply a browser, is an app that lets you open various web pages on your computer. Browsers act as a gateway between you and the Internet.

As mentioned, browsers take the information you typed in and connect first with DNS and then with the server containing the files corresponding to the site name you typed in and then display these files.

In more technicality, Internet browsers read and translate the code of which web pages are comprised and then display this information in the form of texts, images, other media files, and various other features.

Popular web browsers include:

Google Chrome
Mozilla Firefox
Safari
Microsoft Edge

What is a Domain

At its core, the Internet is a network of connected computers that share data with each other. To be recognized, each unit receives a unique code that sets it apart from all other connected devices. This code is named an Internet Protocol Address and allows the exchange of data between devices. These addresses look like this:

115.345.653.56

So, if you wish to access a specific website and know its IP address, you can type it in your web browser.

However, working with such long strings of code becomes hard when you want to browse various websites simultaneously. However, there is a way to use an easier and more intuitive way to browse websites.

This is where domains come into play.

The domain (or domain name) is a string of symbols that create a meaningful phrase and are used to mask IP addresses all for the sake of ease.

An example of the domain name is Google.com, Wikipedia.com, and Facebook.com

This means that instead of working with IP addresses, you can simply type in the domain associated with a specific website, and your web browser will do the hard work for you.

You can simply type in “Wikipedia” in your web browser and it will connect to a DNS, which will tell your browser which individual IP is associated with “Wikipedia” and then your browser will seek and communicate with the particular server with this IP address, so to display its content to you.

Each website should have a unique domain name, so it can be found by browsers and not mistaken with other sites.

Read also:

What is a Web Server

Every website in existence is comprised of various files that take up space. You can store your website on your personal computer and allow other devices to connect and browse your website but this can oftentimes lead to various inconveniences.

First, your PC should be always online to allow your potential visitors to browse it.

Second, your PC should be powerful enough to endure numerous visits to your pages at the same time

Third, Your PC should be well-protected from malware and viruses.

Although it is completely fine to use a PC as a hosting platform for your website, there is a much more convenient way of doing so – by using servers.

Servers are particular kinds of powerful computers that are characterized by several features:

Servers can work non-stop
Servers are used as a storage platform for your website files and data
Servers can communicate with browsers and give them the information they seek
Servers are optimized to endure vast traffic
Servers are virus and malware-protected

These characteristics are essential for every web server, as they are a fundamental part of the World Wide Web and make possible the existence of the Internet.

As mentioned, the servers can work non-stop, which means that the information stored on them is accessible at all times. This makes them an ideal host for websites, as visitors can open and browse the pages any time they wish.

This is indeed how servers are used – as reliable and safe hosts for website information that can be shared with other Internet users and devices.

Also, read about:

How Do Websites Work – Conclusion

When building your first website, it is always a good idea to how do websites work and how the data exchange on the Internet is made possible by using servers, domains, web browsers, and websites.

In this article you read about each of these components and how are they connected, so they allow your web pages to be seen by anyone across the Web.

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