Hiring A Web Designer

This article is written for businesses that are looking to build a website and are shopping around for a web design company to contract the work. A lot of business owners and managers are uncertain about what to look for in hiring a web design or website development company. Should they be local or does it not matter? Would an individual web designer do a good job or should I hire a full service agency?

The answers to those questions may not be so black and white. Often times the needs of a buyer are very much personal. Nevertheless, we created a check list of questions and criteria to help buyers find a good match.

• Planning
  Are you as a client good at planning? If not, you may need a designer that can sit down with you to talk through a scenario. Keep in mind, that the time a designer spends planning is often a billable cost. Sometimes less experienced web designers will not charge for planning, but they later become overwhelmed with their workload and as a result can have trouble making deadlines or being reachable. It can be helpful to pay for some planning time on slightly larger projects.
• Local or not local
  For some, being able to meet in person with a web designer is very helpful and reassuring. There are alternatives though. A lot of designer use software like GoToMeeting or Skype to conduct video chats which can connect vendors and clients from different states or regions.
• Freelancer or Agency
  Agencies often have more experience and capabilities, but they will also cost more as a result. However, there are many sizes and types of design agencies from virtual companies to large shops with full, in-house production teams. Our advice is to ask about their working process and project management style… get to know how they work. Freelancers can be good and may cost a little less–but it all depends on skill, experience, portfolio, capabilities, depth of knowledge, etc.

Also, we have prepared a list of questions that will help you define your needs. These questions are useful after finding and selecting a design company, as they are geared for clarifying the project scope and drafting a proposal that is accurate and specific.

Questions To Help Define Your Project

• What is your general purpose for the website? See below.
• Do you have products to sell through your website?
• Try to create a very basic break down of your website into pages and categories, if possible. For large websites, you don’t need to define every page: Just define the most important (high level) pages and general categories).
• Do you need to update content yourself or would you prefer to have the web designer make the updates occasionally for you?
• Are there websites that you like? Start making a list, and then ask for feedback from the web designer to explain what features of those websites may be more expensive than others.
• Are you wanting to have interactive features such as moving parts, items that respond to mouse clicks, slide shows, etc, etc.

Setting A Budget For Web Design

It is a good idea to do some initial thinking about budget. Don’t just shop around looking for the cheapest option. So many business owners (especially first time buyers) have wasted money trying to go with the cheapest option–only later having to redo the project with another company and essentially starting over. Price is not the always the most important factor.

First it is important to understand that websites are not all built the same. Clean coding, good planning, attractive design, timeliness, security are just a few factors that differentiate the quality of websites. For example, a more experienced web designer may cost more per hour than a web designer working out of her parent’s basement, but the end cost may be less for the more experienced designer. Or, the more experienced designer may in fact be a lot more expensive, but the quality may be very different. Please understand that we are not suggesting that less experienced web designers are not worthwhile… in fact, there are some very talented designers out there who are just getting started but make excellent work.

Some considerations for cost include:

• Is the cost a flat rate or per hour (time based)?
• Do you have a logo? Logo designs may cost extra.
• What does the price include? One design concept or more? Are there revisions to the design concepts? Is coding and implementation included?
• Do you need to purchase additional software or licenses along with the work of the designer?
• Costs for stock photography, vector graphics, etc.
• Will the website need content updates? If so, who will make them? What will it cost to make those updates?
• How will maintenance be handled should something break? Keep in mind that hiring a web design company to build a website is not a permanent and lifetime warranty. Things do break on the web, and this cost should be planned for.

What should I prepare before the web design process?

• Think about the content. Who will write it? Do you need assistance, if so this may cost extra.
• Do you want your website to help with marketing in specific ways? For example, do you want to be found on search engines like Google or Yahoo!? Would you consider marketing through social networks or do you want to know more about social marketing online? Or, do you plan on marketing in person with business cards and brochures?
• Photography: Do you need more photos for your site? Do you plan on having photos taken, if so, when? Do you want to purchase stock photography?

If you need help with your next project, give us a call and give us the opportunity to help you out.



Thank You,

Hector Graxirena
President | HoBITS Technologies, Inc.
117 West Alexander Street Suite 105, Plant City, FL 33563
T. 866-524-7762
hg@hobits.com
http://www.hobits.com

What is the QR Code?

What is the QR Code?

Okay, so I get asked all the time “What is the QR code?” “What can I put on it?” and “How can I use it?”…so I decided to write something about it. Wikipedia has it defined as:  “A QR code (short for Quick Response) is a specific matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code), readable by dedicated QR barcode readers and camera phones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data...”

The QR is the abbreviation for Quick Response, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed, was created in Japan in 1994, and it’s been in used there and Europe but within the last few years it’s been gaining popularity in the US.

This little code can come in pretty handy because it saves a lot of time. For example, your prospect, client or customer can get to your website faster by just scanning in your QR Code with a QR Reader on their smart phone, iphone or virtually any phone. All they need to do is download a free QR Reader application to their phone and then just scan your code.

So, what type of information can you put on a QR Code?

Well, anything that you want! You can put on there whatever you want it to do. For example you can put your contact information on it, or just plain text, your website URL or whatever.

Where would you put it? 

You can put your QR Code on your business cards, flyers, brochures, greeting cards, postcards, banners, notecards, memo pads, and more.  The possibilities are endless. You can even put them on t-shirts, hats or even do a temporary tattoo and have people scan it with their phones. Yes, really, really cool!

How can you generate the code?

If you would like to implement this technology into your business you can generate free QR Codes on the internet. There are a bunch of websites that will let you generate the code completely free, and all you have to do is e-mail it to yourself or just download it to your computer and add it to your media. Here are a few…

• http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ 
• http://www.beqrious.com/generator 
• http://qrdroid.com/generate

So, what can I scan it with?

I have an Android based phone, so I did a search on my apps and found QRDroid, and I use that app to scan my QR Codes. Check the apps on your smart phone.

So why should you care?

Because, not only will this new technology make the connection between the online and offline world a lot easier, but before long you will see it pop up everywhere and trust me, you don’t want to be left behind.

Thank You,

Hector Graxirena - President
HoBITS Technologies, Inc.
117 West Alexander Street Suite 105

Plant City, FL 33563
T. 866-524-7762
C. 813-523-9328
hg@hobits.com

www.hobits.com

Do I need a Server? (Part 1)

Very often I am asked the question “Hector, do I need a server?”; my answer is “depends on your business”.  What type of business do you have, and how much you value your business, your clients, the transactions you’ve have done with those clients, your marketing efforts, your leads to possible new clients, and your accounting? If you agree that all these factors are important to you, and your business then maybe you need to keep reading. In order to understand why you might need a server, you need to have a basic understanding of what a server is.

WHAT IS A SERVER
Per definition, a Server (or Network Server) is a computer designed to process requests and deliver data to other (client) computers over a local network or the Internet. 

Network servers typically are configured with additional processing, memory and storage capacity to handle the load of servicing clients. Common types of network servers include:

• File and Print Server
• Web Server
• Mail Server
• Backup Server
• Database Server
• FTP Server
• Online Game Server
• Backup Server
• Proxy Servers

Numerous systems use this client/server networking model including Web sites and email services.

Most of the servers on the Internet are just standard Pentium computers. The vast majority run the Linux or Windows operating systems. What makes these machines servers is quite simple: they are running programs that serve data when asked by clients.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
So let's look at some of those differences. On the surface, they seem very similar. Both have a CPU, RAM, and hard drives for storage. Servers, however, are designed with heavy‐duty back‐end tasks in mind, and aren't well equipped to run normal desktop workloads, such as graphics‐intensive applications. Servers excel at running services supporting those desktop applications, such as databases.

The CPU in an entry‐level server isn't all that different from a midlevel desktop, but does differ in some ways, such as cache sizes. To put it simply, CPU cache is a small, dedicated pool of RAM that the CPU can use to store frequently requested data. If the cache is larger, the CPU appears faster because it can store more data in the cache for faster recall. Server CPUs generally have larger and more varied caches than desktop systems for just this reason. Like modern desktop systems, server CPUs can have multiple cores, although they generally make better use of multiple cores than desktop systems will.

Multiple‐core CPUs are basically a single CPU that contains two or more processing cores. In essence, it’s like having several CPUs on a single chip. Using multicore CPUs can greatly increase the processing power of the system and lengthen the usable life of your server.

Some entry‐level servers, such as an Intel Celeron 445, may have a single‐core CPUs. For an office of fewer than 10 users, this is generally sufficient. Be aware, though, that a few extra dollars invested now in on a higher‐powered server ‐‐ say a dual‐ or even a quad‐core CPU ‐‐ can be greatly beneficial as your business grows. Overestimating your needs now might be your best bet.

UNDERSTANDING RAID
One of the major hardware differences between servers and workstations is the disk subsystem. While desktops have a single hard drive, servers generally have several hard drives configured to appear as a

single disk. This is called RAID, or Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. RAID is widely used to protect servers from individual disk failures, critical when your business is at stake. If a drive in a RAID array fails, it does not mean that the data contained on that drive is lost, since other drives in the array still contain the data. There are multiple levels of RAID, but for entry‐level servers, RAID levels 1 and 5 are the most common.

RACK VS. TOWER
Entry‐level servers are generally available in either a rack‐mount or tower form. If this is the first server for the company, you probably won’t have a suitable server rack already in place, and for a single server, adding that rack may not be cost‐effective. Thus, a tower server is likely to be the best option.

Many tower servers can later be converted to rack‐mount servers with the appropriate conversion kit, so if your infrastructure grows to the point where a rack is required, your existing investment can be modified to fit your needs.

A tower server is generally only slightly larger than a regular desktop system, and can be placed under a desk or in an area that has little traffic. Though it’s a good idea to also have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse hooked up to the server, don’t be tempted to use the server as a desktop system.

A WORD ABOUT RAM
Servers also generally have very fast RAM, which is quite important for performance. Since servers are running many different tasks simultaneously, fast RAM and a fast system bus are crucial to maintain smooth operation. ECC, or error‐correcting, RAM is also a feature of most server‐class systems. ECC helps protect the integrity of the data stored in RAM during normal processing. It costs a bit more than non‐ECC RAM, but in a server system, it’s generally a requirement.

WHAT ABOUT POWER
Another feature of most servers is redundant power supplies. This means that the server has at least two power supplies that both draw power during normal operation. If one power supply fails, or power is cut to that supply, the server continues to function. Not all servers have this feature, but some offer the option of adding another power supply later on. As with any computer, you should add a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to protect your server from power surges and outages.

Stay tuned for the next part...

http://www.hobits.com

Like a trusty mechanic for small businesses

Local Business Man takes the anxiety out of IT maintenance, upgrades, security and backups for Small and Medium size business owners in Plant City, FL 

Maintaining complex computer networks always was easier for large businesses. Hector Graxirena saw this in his work for Publix Federal Credit Union and Jabil Circuits, Corp.

He knew that often it took a well-staffed information technology department to stay apace of the upgrades and daily safeguarding needed to keep systems running efficiently-- a large cost but not prohibitive for a company large enough. But they saw that smaller businesses often needed the same kind of systems without the financial means to hire IT departments; as a result, often they just let this maintenance lapse.

This led Mr. Graxirena in 2006 to start HoBITS Technologies, Inc., which caters to businesses with 5 to 100 computers.  Hector Graxirena is the president and founder of HoBITS Technologies, Inc. He compares HoBITS Technologies work to the routine maintenance a car needs.

“When a person buys a car, they have to do things like oil changes,” he says. “They can run their car even if they don’t do these services, but in the long run it will fall apart.”

HoBITS is like a mechanic for small businesses, protecting their systems from spyware, spam and data loss on a daily basis. The business is the de facto IT department for its clients, offering a plan to take control of all software protection and updating.

“For a small-business owner without a lot of resources, computer problems are the last thing they want to worry about,” Graxirena says. “The good news is with a few simple precautions it keeps a stable environment and they don’t have to worry about it.”

Before the firm works with a potential client, HoBITS studies the company to make sure it is a good fit. It asks two questions: 1) Is technology more important to you than it was five years ago? 2) Will it be more important in five years than it is now?

If the answer is yes, the company would benefit from HoBITS Technologies, Graxirena says.

HoBITS Technologies has more than 60 clients, including law firms, doctors offices, financial services companies and manufacturers. Its plans range from $25 per computer for a basic level of maintenance to others that cost $1,200 a month or more.

Some companies even have plans that cost $5,000 to $6,000 a month, but Graxirena notes that is still cheaper than hiring an IT staff. All plans are tailored to exactly what a company needs, he says, with no “one size fits all” pricing.

Even during the recession of the past year, HoBITS Technologies was able to grow its revenue by more than 200 percent. Its  ProITWatch™ plan, which gives total control of the network to HoBITS Technologies, has been a success, Graxirena says. The firm’s marketing and outreach efforts also are paying off. Graxirena says he has encountered many small businesses that try to designate the person with the most computer experience to serve as IT director, but often this fails.

“That never works out, because a makeshift IT person usually has another full-time responsibility and not enough skills to support a whole network,” he says. “Over time that network becomes ill-maintained and unstable.”

When businesses hire HoBITS Technologies, they get a dose of education along with maintenance packages. Graxirena says they are taught to back up their files, to check these backups to make sure they work and to keep an off-site copy of the backups. The firm also has offered a free comprehensive network audit until the end of December, available through www.hobits.com

When broken down into its simplest terms, Graxirena says, HoBITS Technologies job is to ease anxiety for business owners.

“People are nervous when it comes to their computer networks,” he says. “What we do can make them better and take that fear away.”

Computer Repair and Computer Services in Plant City and the Tampa Bay Area

In the busy city of Tampa who has time to waste? Tired of writing emails, and chatting with "support staff" from who knows where? Want to talk to someone "live" about your computer or network issues? Sick of having to send your hardware through the mail to someone you don't even know or trust; with no assurances that your equipment will find its way home?

The big business works pretty well for most industries, but there are some where the model doesn't apply so well. Information Technology, computer repair, computer services, network services, network troubleshooting, computer and network maintenance is one of those industries. It just isn't logistically sound to rely on someone that's not local for computer services. Until a technician is actually staring at the problem in front of them, they cannot address your problem (s) with any degree of accuracy. Big companies rely on a lot of Remote Computer Support; smaller companies can do the same.

When it comes to computer repair in Tampa, HoBITS Technologies, Inc. is your solution.

When it comes to computer repair and maintenance, HoBITS Technologies, Inc. has been a Tampa computer and network services company since 2005. With a large directory of satisfied customers and an ever increasing list of services to choose from, HoBITS Technologies, Inc. is THE #1 choice for all computer repair related concerns in the Tampa area, Brandon, Plant City, Lakeland, and Winter Haven. Being on the cutting edge of technology is essential for any tech related service, HoBITS Technologies, Inc. is that and more; they have experience in servicing all types of hardware and software currently in the market. Computer repair is all about providing exactly what the customer wants, and what they need. Taking the time to explain to customers exactly what they need in order to be up-to-date and safe in these tough economic times is what we try to offer as a bonus to our clients.

We understand that not everyone is a technical guru; with the level of service that we offer, you don't have to be. HoBITS Technologies, Inc. is a full service computer repair, network services, network troubleshooting, IT services, and Web Development Company; its on-site staff can provide answers to all of those tough questions that you probably won't find honest answers to on the net. We are all about taking the time to explain things to our customers in language that they can understand. We want to help you keep your equipment in the best condition possible, and at the most affordable prices. There's no job too big or too small for this multi-faceted business to handle. If you want it done right the first time, and at the right price, call HoBITS Technologies, Inc. today!

Typical services offered:

• Telecommunications and Voice over IP (VoIP) Solutions
• Network Integrations
• Network Troubleshooting
• Network Management
• Network Configurations
• Network Cabling Deployment
• Software Installations
• Software Updates
• Software Patching
• Software Development
• Hardware Deployment
• Hardware Procuring
• Hardware Installations
• Hardware Upgrades
• Information Security Assessments
• Information Security Training
• Information Security Policies
• Information Security Compliance
• Computer Security
• Antivirus Removal
• Spyware Removal
• Website Development
• Website Management
• Logo design / banner design
• Graphic design
• SEO Optimization
• Computer Sales, and Setup
• Computer Repairs
• Computer Tune-ups
• Computer Upgrades
• Computer Training
• Computer Security Assessments
• Internet Traffic Monitoring
• Data Backup
• Data Recovery
• Software Installs
• Wireless Network Setup
• Online Remote Support

Services This Tampa based tech company's services don't stop at computer repair though, HoBITS Technologies, Inc. also offers products such as; 

• Managed Technology Services, ProITWatch™
• Offsite Data Backup
• Data Recovery
• Domain Name Registrations
• Web Hosting
• Virtual Dedicated Servers
• Dedicated Servers
• SSL Certificates
• E-mail Hosting
• Hosted Microsoft Exchange
• E-mail Marketing Solutions
...and much, much more!

A little about the founder of HoBITS Technologies, Inc. in Tampa, Brandon, Plant City, and Lakeland Hector Graxirena is the President and Chief Executive Officer of HoBITS Technologies, the area’s leading outsourced computer services for small and medium businesses. Hector founded HoBITS, Inc. in 2001. Since then, Hector’s passion, knowledge, leadership, and experience have become hallmarks of his tenure at the company. During the past 14 years, Hector has held several technology positions, including national organizations and local organization, operating systems development, and support.

At HoBITS Technologies, Mr. Graxirena assumes full management responsibility for the company, including delivering on the company’s vision of “being a trusted and valued outsourced IT department.” Hector is known for his devotion to building closer relationships with HoBITS Technologies customers and partners — and for ensuring their needs are heard, understood, and served by our organization.

“As the Information Technology Department for the SMB Marketplace, we offer our clients an affordable, trusted source for all their computer, and technology needs. With Fortune 500 IT department expertise, our value goes beyond strong technical talent. Fixed Price Projects, Preventative Maintenance Programs, and around the clock support, allow our clients to focus in on their companies’ business objectives!”

HoBITS Technologies - ProITWatch Managed IT Services

Choose the Right Domain Name!

To buy a domain name, you can do so directly from your web hosting provider, or through a separate domain name service (a recommended option for those who are using their own servers). If you're using a separate domain name service for your server, make sure you choose one such as no-IP.com, which assigns you a static IP address, the numerical address that identifies your computer. If this address is ever-changing (as it is with some internet service providers), you won't be able to successfully assign a domain name to your server. I personally use register.com and godaddy.com. I like the independence that register.com or similar services provide. Another good strategy is to choose and register your domain in advance of building your site. You then have the comfort of knowing that the name belongs to you. When you register a domain without having a site, typing the name into the browser will bring up a page indicating that it's parked. This means the name is owned by someone but a website has not yet been launched.

The process for signing up for a domain name works the same way whether it's through a hosting provider or through a separate domain name service. You'll be asked to enter into a text box the domain name you want to register. The service shows you the extensions you can choose. Generally, you always want to go with .com, since this is the most popular domain name extension. In terms of what domain name to use, this is where keyword optimization comes into play. That's right--even your domain name should be keyword optimized. Don't fall into the temptation that many webmasters do and use something catchy and creative for your website. It might be more memorable to potential visitors, especially if you use a lot of offline marketing, but it won't get your site ranked high in search engines. Ultimately, you will want to use keywords to create a domain name that is both memorable and likely to be ranked in the first 10 listings of search engine results.

However, keywords in the domain are useful for reasons outside of just ranking by its words. How people link to you and what the description reads in the incoming "backlink," or anchor text, plays a key role. So if you have realestate-mortgage-loans.com it's better than simply remloans.com. The latter is shorter, but the former yields a better link popularity strategy.

If your desired domain name is taken, the domain name service recommends other selections you could use. This can be helpful, since sometimes they can come up with suggestions that might rank better than your original choice. Or, they could be terrible, especially in terms of their length. Generally, the best domain names are short, contain no hyphens, and offer an excellent one-, two-, or three-word summary of what the site is about. An example of an excellent domain name could be cheapknives.com. It's short, contains no hyphens, and, if it's pointing to a website selling affordable knives, perfectly summarizes the main point of the site.

Another alternative when it comes to domain names is buying one that's already established or expiring. This is a popular tactic used by internet marketers to generate traffic for their websites. You can find these types of domain names anywhere, from eBay to specialized services selling them (they can be found through a general Google search). You could use snapnames.com to bid on a name that's already taken. On this site you enter your contact and billing information, the domain name of interest, and your bid price. When the name becomes available, snapnames.com will purchase it for you. This eliminates watching and waiting for the name. This is also helpful after you launch your business if you want to snap up similar domain names.

There are auctions specifically for expired domain names. To find the best deals on expired domain names, don't be afraid to use a shopping comparison site, such as froogle.com. I've purchased domains both on eBay and the SitePoint Marketplace. If you get an admin e-mail account and read on the membership site SitePoint--you can transfer a domain over without losing page rank and traffic.

Most folks who sell a website/domain will show you traffic charts and money charts (example: AdSense). Make sure that it's not inflated, and that you can look at it over time. One month is simply not good enough. Make sure you also ask about how traffic has been coming to the site, and ask to see server logs.