The purpose of this FAQ is not merely to educate you in the ways of managing your hosting account through cPanel - we have plenty of video tutorials available for that. Instead, we mean for this to be a place for discussion of various topics related to running a successful web site - focusing on the particular needs of independent artists, writers, musicians, and other creative people wishing to promote themselves and their work. We encourage you to ask questions if you are confused, help to answer the questions of those in need, and add relevant info and tips.
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Getting Started FAQ »
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How do I log into my cPanel account to manage my site?
cPanel is where everything happens. When your account is setup, you should receive a username and password to access this area, where you can browse around to quickly learn how everything works. This will allow you to easily manage your domains names, email accounts, backups, and everything else. We chose cPanel because it is very intuitive, and very easy to learn.
- Visit http://cpanel.homeforartists.com/
- Enter the username and password you were provided when your account was activated.
And you're in! Now look around! Most of those icons you'll never use, but they're there if you need them. The important areas to look at, initially, might be email, domains, and databases.
Note that under "Preferences," in the first box at the top, there is an icon for video tutorials. Those are tutorials created by the makers of cPanel, and will walk you through anything you might ever need to know. We also have another set of video tutorials at http://tutorials.homeforartists.com/.
Read More →Where can I find a glossary of terms?
We have a glossary of terms right here:
Read More →Where can I get detailed traffic statistics for my web site?
cPanel
You have very detailed site statistics already enabled on your web site, including two programs that read your server logs and output the information in a concise, readable format. This includes graphs, ordered listings of referring URL's, search terms people have used to find your site, and so on.
Google Analytics
For even more flexibility in viewing and assessing your statistics (including tools for conversion tracking), we highly recommend signing up for Google Analytics. If you already have a Google account (Gmail, Google Docs, etc), you can simply log in using that account at http://www.google.com/analytics. Follow their instructions to add your site, and then to install the tracking code on your web site.
Read More →How can I access webmail?
We generally recommend using a cloud-based email client such as Gmail, which will allow you to setup POP3 and SMTP emails, turning it into a client just like Outlook - except it can be checked from anywhere.
For those using a local email client who would like to check your mail from other locations from time to time, or those who simply prefer to use our webmail client, you can log into your mail from any web browser by pointing it to:
http://webmail.yourdomain.com/
Log in using your email address and password.
You will be given a choice of 3 webmail clients. They all perform the same functions, but with slightly different layouts and features. We generally recommend using Roundcube - it is what we've found most people prefer, including ourselves. However, feel free to experiment with all three to see which one works best for you.
Read More →Where can I find tutorials for cPanel and web site management?
We have two sets of video tutorials available, plus we have this FAQ, which is continuously updated with new tips, tutorials, and information.
The first place to look would be in our collection of over 100+ video tutorials at:
http://tutorials.homeforartists.com/There are also a number of video tutorials created by the makers of cPanel. You can find these by logging into your cPanel account at the url you were provided in your welcome email. Just look in the first box of icons.
Also be sure to look through our Hosting and Web Site FAQ section.
Read More →How do I point my domain to my new hosting account?
We cannot provide registrar-specific details here, because every registrar has its own domain management interface, but regardless of your registrar, you'll follow these general steps:
- Log into your registrar (the place you purchased your domain from) and locate the domain management page.
- Choose the domain you would like to point, and locate where you can change DNS or nameserver for that domain.
- For primary and secondary nameservers, use the Home for Artists nameservers (specified below). If there are spaces for more nameservers, these should be left blank.
Home for Artists Nameservers:
NS1.HOMEFORARTISTS.COM
NS2.HOMEFORARTISTS.COM
Read More →
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Domain Management FAQ »
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How do I setup a subdomain?
A subdomain is the www in www.domainname.com. But the www can be anything, and unlimited subdomains are allowed per domain. So one might setup sub1.domainname.com, sub2.domainname.com, and mozart.domainname.com, with each pointing to a different location as if they were unique domain names, with their own document roots.
To setup a subdomain, log into your cPanel account, then scroll down to the "Domains" box and click the icon labeled "Subdomains." Enter into the form whatever you would like your new subdomain to be (it can be anything alpha-numeric) and the document root (the name of the folder you would like the new subdomain to point to). We recommend naming this folder the same as the subdomain.
A new folder will appear inside your public_html directory, and this will be the root folder for your new subdomain.
Read More →How do I park a domain?
In cPanel, when you park a domain, this simply means pointing the domain to an existing web site. For instance, you may have two domains, called domain1.com and domain2.net, and you want these to both point to the same location, basically making the two domains interchangeable.
NOTE: If you do this, we highly recommend using canonical url's to prevent Google from marking your site(s) as having duplicate content.
To park a domain, log into your Cpanel account and click on the "Parked Domains" button, which can be found in the "Domains" box.
Now enter the new domain into the provided field and click "Add Domain."
If the domain was registered elsewhere, be sure that it is pointing to the appropriate nameservers:
NS1.HOMEFORARTISTS.COM
NS2.HOMEFORARTISTS.COM
Read More →How do I create an addon domain?
At Home for Artists you are provided with one account, which is tied to the domain name you used when you signed up. If you would like to create a new web site on a separate domain under the same account, you'll want to use addon domains.
To do this, log into your cPanel account and click on "Addon Domains" in the "Domains" box.
Fill in all of the appropriate information. In "Document Root," enter the folder name you would like the new site go into. After created, this folder will appear inside of your public_html folder. We highly recommend using the "Password Generator" to generate your password, as this will create a highly secure password unlikely to be guessed by hackers, using a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Recommended settings for those who are unsure:
New Domain Name: domainname.com (of course, you'll want to replace "domainname" with the domain name you're setting up!)
Subdomain/FTP Username: domainname
Document Root: domainname.com
Password: Use the password generator, then be sure to save the password you've create in a safe place.
Read More →Where can I find tutorials for cPanel and web site management?
We have two sets of video tutorials available, plus we have this FAQ, which is continuously updated with new tips, tutorials, and information.
The first place to look would be in our collection of over 100+ video tutorials at:
http://tutorials.homeforartists.com/There are also a number of video tutorials created by the makers of cPanel. You can find these by logging into your cPanel account at the url you were provided in your welcome email. Just look in the first box of icons.
Also be sure to look through our Hosting and Web Site FAQ section.
Read More →How do I point my domain to my new hosting account?
We cannot provide registrar-specific details here, because every registrar has its own domain management interface, but regardless of your registrar, you'll follow these general steps:
- Log into your registrar (the place you purchased your domain from) and locate the domain management page.
- Choose the domain you would like to point, and locate where you can change DNS or nameserver for that domain.
- For primary and secondary nameservers, use the Home for Artists nameservers (specified below). If there are spaces for more nameservers, these should be left blank.
Home for Artists Nameservers:
NS1.HOMEFORARTISTS.COM
NS2.HOMEFORARTISTS.COM
Read More →
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Email Management FAQ »
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How can I access webmail?
We generally recommend using a cloud-based email client such as Gmail, which will allow you to setup POP3 and SMTP emails, turning it into a client just like Outlook - except it can be checked from anywhere.
For those using a local email client who would like to check your mail from other locations from time to time, or those who simply prefer to use our webmail client, you can log into your mail from any web browser by pointing it to:
http://webmail.yourdomain.com/
Log in using your email address and password.
You will be given a choice of 3 webmail clients. They all perform the same functions, but with slightly different layouts and features. We generally recommend using Roundcube - it is what we've found most people prefer, including ourselves. However, feel free to experiment with all three to see which one works best for you.
Read More →Where can I find tutorials for cPanel and web site management?
We have two sets of video tutorials available, plus we have this FAQ, which is continuously updated with new tips, tutorials, and information.
The first place to look would be in our collection of over 100+ video tutorials at:
http://tutorials.homeforartists.com/There are also a number of video tutorials created by the makers of cPanel. You can find these by logging into your cPanel account at the url you were provided in your welcome email. Just look in the first box of icons.
Also be sure to look through our Hosting and Web Site FAQ section.
Read More →
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General Web Site Tips »
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What Wordpress plugins would you recommend for managing and displaying image galleries?
I really would recommend going to Wordpress.org and browsing their image gallery plugins to look at examples, so you can determine what would best suit your particular needs. But in general, I recommend using one of the following:
- Nextgen Gallery Plugin
- Fotobook (displays your Facebook photo albums as if they're part of your site)
- PicasaWeb (displays your Picasa albums as if they're part of your site)
- SlickrFlickr (dislplays photos from your Flickr page as if they're part of your site)
Read More →What is an appropriate size for the images in my galleries?
This really depends on what you're trying to acheive, and how much you're willing to give away freely. Some artists prefer to display large, high res pictures and just take a chance on them being taken by freeloaders. Others watermark those pics right across the middle of the image so that they can't be used. Others prefer not to cover their work with a watermark, but will only offer a small, low-res version to the public. This is entirely up to you.
But we can still provide a couple of basic guidelines.
- Dimensions - I recommend your images never go over 1024x768. If you're only allowing small previews of your images, then I would not go below 480x360.
- File size - Many people take photos in high resolution and then upload them straight to their servers. These images could be as much as several megabytes a piece. NEVER upload an image for the web that is that large. For high res photos, I would recommend never going above 300 kb. If you use Photoshop, it's best to open your image, resize it to the appropriate dimensions, and the "save for web." For photos, choose the high quality jpg setting.
- File format - When you're in the "save for web" dialog box, you can choose from many options. I recommend trying both jpg and png formats, and watching the quality and the filesize (which you can see in the bottom of the box). Choose the format that produces the smallest file size without detriment to image quality. Generally, photos or any other pictures with gradients or a wide variety of colors will be saved as jpg's. Images with non-gradient, flat colors tend to work better as png's.
Read More →
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Wordpress Management FAQ »
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What Wordpress plugins would you recommend for managing and displaying image galleries?
I really would recommend going to Wordpress.org and browsing their image gallery plugins to look at examples, so you can determine what would best suit your particular needs. But in general, I recommend using one of the following:
- Nextgen Gallery Plugin
- Fotobook (displays your Facebook photo albums as if they're part of your site)
- PicasaWeb (displays your Picasa albums as if they're part of your site)
- SlickrFlickr (dislplays photos from your Flickr page as if they're part of your site)
Read More →
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HTML and CSS Help »
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Where can I find a list of all of the special characters in HTML?
Here is an HTML special characters cheat sheet:
http://www.utexas.edu/learn/html/spchar.html
Read More →I'd like to learn basic HTML and CSS. Where can I find good tutorials?
http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp
http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp
Read More →
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Useful Tools »
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I need a good note-taking tool. Any recommendations?
We highly recommend the following resources:
- Evernote (We prefer this one the most)
- Springpad
- Google Notes
Read More →Where can I find a good productivity/time management/to-do system?
We highly recommend checking out the following resources:
- ActiveInbox (a Firefox/Chrome plugin that turns Gmail into a GTD-based project management system - free for basic version)
- Nirvana (a standalone/browser-based system for GTD - entirely free)
- Basecamp (web-based project management for team collaboration - free for one project)
Read More →Where can I find a list of all of the special characters in HTML?
Here is an HTML special characters cheat sheet:
http://www.utexas.edu/learn/html/spchar.html
Read More →Where can I find a glossary of terms?
We have a glossary of terms right here:
Read More →Where can I get detailed traffic statistics for my web site?
cPanel
You have very detailed site statistics already enabled on your web site, including two programs that read your server logs and output the information in a concise, readable format. This includes graphs, ordered listings of referring URL's, search terms people have used to find your site, and so on.
Google Analytics
For even more flexibility in viewing and assessing your statistics (including tools for conversion tracking), we highly recommend signing up for Google Analytics. If you already have a Google account (Gmail, Google Docs, etc), you can simply log in using that account at http://www.google.com/analytics. Follow their instructions to add your site, and then to install the tracking code on your web site.
Read More →How can get I get a secure server for image hosting for my Paypal payment page?
Here is a secure server from which you can host your images so that customers, when checking out in Paypal or a similar service, do not receive the error that the page contains unsecure items:
Alternatively, you could purchase an SSL certificate from us, but the above method will save you some money if you only need a secure server for image hosting.
Read More →
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Web Site Promotion »
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Where can I get detailed traffic statistics for my web site?
cPanel
You have very detailed site statistics already enabled on your web site, including two programs that read your server logs and output the information in a concise, readable format. This includes graphs, ordered listings of referring URL's, search terms people have used to find your site, and so on.
Google Analytics
For even more flexibility in viewing and assessing your statistics (including tools for conversion tracking), we highly recommend signing up for Google Analytics. If you already have a Google account (Gmail, Google Docs, etc), you can simply log in using that account at http://www.google.com/analytics. Follow their instructions to add your site, and then to install the tracking code on your web site.
Read More →What are the most important things I should look at for on-site SEO?
Note first!
The suggestions below assume you have already picked out a set of keyword combinations for your page. Each page on your site should focus on different keyword combinations - perhaps two to four per page, with an emphasis on one keyword phrase in particular. You'll want these keyword phrases to appear consistently in all of the locations recommended below. But keep it reasonable! If you start repeating keywords too many times, Google will consider it a spam page and you're results will be penalized.
Title tags!
This is probably the single most important factor for on-site SEO. Make sure that your title tags include any keywords you would like to go after for that page. It is typically recommended that you put your site name at the end of all title tags. For instance, if your site is called Tim's Mediocre Artwork, you might have a page entitled:
Art Openings in New York in November | Tim's Mediocre ArtworkWith that title, you are targeting the keywords "art", "art openings", "art openings in New York", and "art openings in November". I can't stress enough: get the keywords you wish to target into your title tags! And be sure they are different on every page (although, you can - and should - target the same keywords on multiple pages).
URL's
Conventional wisdom is that the closer your keywords appear in your URL, the more weight they'll carry. So if you're keywords are, "urls are important" then the most optimal URL would be www.urlsareimportant.com. Of course, you can't edit your domain (although, this can be factored in when purchasing a domain), but you can create pages and folders with keywords. So your URL could be www.yourdomain.com/urls-are-important, or www.yourdomain.com/category-name/urls-are-important.html. You might even put a general keyword into the directory name, and then more specific keywords into the file name, such as: www.yourdomain.com/glass-vases/blue-glass-vase.html.
If you're using a content management system of any sort
Read More →
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Graphics FAQs & Tutorials »
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What is an appropriate size for the images in my galleries?
This really depends on what you're trying to acheive, and how much you're willing to give away freely. Some artists prefer to display large, high res pictures and just take a chance on them being taken by freeloaders. Others watermark those pics right across the middle of the image so that they can't be used. Others prefer not to cover their work with a watermark, but will only offer a small, low-res version to the public. This is entirely up to you.
But we can still provide a couple of basic guidelines.
- Dimensions - I recommend your images never go over 1024x768. If you're only allowing small previews of your images, then I would not go below 480x360.
- File size - Many people take photos in high resolution and then upload them straight to their servers. These images could be as much as several megabytes a piece. NEVER upload an image for the web that is that large. For high res photos, I would recommend never going above 300 kb. If you use Photoshop, it's best to open your image, resize it to the appropriate dimensions, and the "save for web." For photos, choose the high quality jpg setting.
- File format - When you're in the "save for web" dialog box, you can choose from many options. I recommend trying both jpg and png formats, and watching the quality and the filesize (which you can see in the bottom of the box). Choose the format that produces the smallest file size without detriment to image quality. Generally, photos or any other pictures with gradients or a wide variety of colors will be saved as jpg's. Images with non-gradient, flat colors tend to work better as png's.
Read More →Where can I find Photoshop tutorials?
We highly recommend the following resource:
- PSD Tuts+ - Probably the largest collection of Photoshop tutorials online
Read More →
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Payment Processing FAQ »
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How can get I get a secure server for image hosting for my Paypal payment page?
Here is a secure server from which you can host your images so that customers, when checking out in Paypal or a similar service, do not receive the error that the page contains unsecure items:
Alternatively, you could purchase an SSL certificate from us, but the above method will save you some money if you only need a secure server for image hosting.
Read More →
