Webnames.ca listens to customer feedback and is always striving to be better at what we do and help you manage your online presence effectively. Below are answers to some frequently asked questions that keep coming up in conversations with you.

Too Many Passwords in General?  Try Password Safe

Password Safe is free online, which we've mentioned in previous posts, I am mentioning it again because customers keep telling me about the difficulties they're having managing multiple passwords  It allows you to store all your passwords securely.  All you really need to remember is the password for the tool itself.  Once logged into Password Safe, you can access all the details you stored by name.  It even has a feature that will auto populate the fields so you don't need to type them.

Managing your Webnames.ca Services Passwords

Email - If you ever forget the password to your Webnames.ca Emails, there is a place in the Webmail settings where you can enter another email address.  The next time you forget your email password, you can go to Pronto Webmail and click "Forgot your Password?", your password will then be sent to the alternate email account you specified.

Webhosting - If you forget the password to your Webhosting, there is now an option on your Webhosting Tab in your Webnames.ca account, that will re-send the password.

If you want help setting this up, call us!  We're more than happy to guide you through it over the phone. 1--866-221-7878.

How Many Websites Do I need?

With Webnames.ca Webhosting, you can have one hosting plan, with several domains that are forwarded to it.  For example, if yummybonbons.ca is hosted, and yummybonbons.com points to the .ca, the domains can all be forwarded to the home page or even to different sub-folders.  Webnames.ca forwarder also allows you to grip the domain, which will keep the domain name showing in the address bar instead of the destination sub-folder (yummybonbons.ca can be forwarded to sweetsweetcandy.com/FR/, when gripping is used the address bar will show http://yummybonbons.ca so in effect, you can have a website under both names.  **Note that some websites require features that are only available with specific plans.

With Webnames.ca Web Builder you can only have one website per plan. Some customers have mistakenly purchased our GOLD Web Builder for extra pages, their intent being to have half of their website in French (with Web Builder having the language built in, you can only choose French or English, not both).  If you are looking to have a bilingual site, I suggest getting two separate domains and a smaller Web Builder plan, it will not only cost less, but also be clearer for both your English and French speaking customers. 

When You Outgrow Web Builder

Webnames.ca Business Standard Hosting: For a lot of individuals, organizations and small businesses Web Builder is a great website solution; we realize however that sometime people want more flexibility and are eager to learn how to manage their own websites, taking advantage of the vast resources and tutorials available online.

If this is your case, we've been reccommedning Webnames.ca Business Standard Hosting with a fresh install of WordPress.  If you get decide to purchase that hosting package we will install WordPress for you free of charge.  After WordPress has been installed it is up to you to manage it. For ideas, how-to's and cupport, you can check out the extensive WordPress forums. http://wordpress.org/support/

For more information about the above Webnames.ca services, try our comprehensive FAQ section. If your question isn't answered there, don't hesitate to call us at 1-866-221-7878.

We're back with another site to showcase as our Best of Web Builder. This month our featured site is JNR Custom Finishes, a plastering company from Winnipeg, Manitoba that specializes in residential jobs and has been in business for 15 years.

JNRWallCoatings.com is a great looking brochure style website. The site has a clean, welcoming design. A nice photograph is used as the splash page, which introduces visitors to the services offered by this company, as well as the quality of this businesses' work.

The site consists of a couple informational pages about the company and its services, as well as a gallery of images from completed contracts and a contact page. It's simple, to the point, and gives the company an online presence it can direct potential customers to for more information - all that this very "hands on" business needs.

JNRWallCoatings.com made use of Webnames.ca's free Kickstart program for Web Builder users. Kickstart gets your site on the web quickly and takes little effort on your part, other than providing us with a couple pages worth of web content and images.

If you're getting your company off the ground, don't have time to worry about a website and need an attractive brochure website, we'll design it for you no strings attached, then all you have to do is update your pages in Web Builders easy-to-use editor.

Learn more about Web Builder and our free Kickstart design program.

See you again next month!

Our Best of Web Builder site this month is Barbara Cameron Pix. Barbara contacted us, looking for a solution to showcase her photography that was within her price range and easy for her to manage.

Through our Kickstart program, Barbara provided us with all sorts of images and content to use in setting up her Web Builder webiste. As you can see, when you come prepared, our Kickstart program can deliver an attractive website that will captivate visitors. Each page of the website showcases a different one of her photographs in the banner and the effect is crisp and professional looking.

I have to admit, I've been checking this site periodically to look at her new photographs; Barbara's eye is fantastic and her photographs are very compelling. Currently her photos are grouped into three themes - Commerical/Corporate, People, Stock Photos. But don't take my word for it, visit her website yourself.

Learn more about Web Builder and our free Kickstart design program. Have a great Web Builder site of your own? Let me know by emailing max@webnames.ca.  

This month we have a special "Best of Web Builder" feature. The website is nicely designed, but in this case that's not what counts. ListentotheChildren.net was created for Logan MacGillivray, a twelve year old from Bedford, Nova Scotia with a bigger social conscious than most adults. It's not everyday that the actions of a child can cause you to re-evaluate your own values.

Inspired by photos he saw of children in Sierra Leone, living lives of hardship, Logan started his project to help improve their situation. He has gathered donations from various companies and individuals, and managed to fill a 40-tonne international shipping container with educational, building and recreational materials to send to Sierra Leone. But Logan is not done yet. According to the project news section of his website, they are now working towards filling a 2nd 40-tonne container.

To raise awareness for his cause, he also decided to create a documentary to draw greater attention to the cause. (Making a film festival worthy documentary at 12 years old ... how awesome is that?)

Rather than keep telling you how awesome this young man is, check out his website. Maybe you will be inspired to pitch in and help him attain his goal of making the world a better place.

Redwood Cottage (www.redwoodcottage.ca) is a beautifully renovated two bedroom Bed and Breakfast in Roberts Creek, BC, and their website reflects the character of the place well. They have made excellent use of Web Builder, using creative techniques to enhance Web Builder's existing features and functionality.

One of the first things I noticed about the Redwood Cottage website is that you can't tell they're using Web Builder, or even a template for that matter. The website is highly polished and looks as though it was designed by a professional web designer using traditional methods.

The website incorporates graphics into their pages in such a way that they become part of the overall design. For example, on the "Accommodations" page floral graphics are incorporated seamlessly behind images of the cottage. They also make great use of a panel on the left hand side of the page to highlight key information. Everything just fits together nicely!

I'm blown away by Redwood Cottage's use of Web Builder. We can help you achieve a fantastic looking website as well, all you need to do is sign up for our free Kickstart web design program at: http://bit.ly/FH7g8. Keep an eye out for next month's Best of Web Builder!

Hi everyone, Max here for another edition of Best of Web Builder.  This time around we're not only featuring our Web Builder product, but we're also showcasing the Kickstart program.  This owner of Yohachi contacted us, and needed to get a website online quickly, but he did not have a web designer, or knew much about creating a website.

We suggested that he try our Kickstart program, which is available at: http://cli.gs/RWh8G7 .

As the name implies, this service allows you to Kickstart your website, and get online as quickly as possible. Kickstart's are available for all Web Builder subscribers, and even if you just have our 30 day free trial.

Mr Iwaki, the owner of Yohachi Sushi signed up for our Kickstart program, and has gotten an awesome design out of it! 

Check out his website at http://www.yohachi.ca

After sending us some pictures of his restaurant as well as some of his culinary creations, we were able to quickly create great website with a look and feel that fits his vision for the website.

Check out the website, and if you're ever in North Vancouver, stop by and grab some Sushi, tell them Webnames.ca sent you!

After well over a year since our last Web Builder site of the month post, we've decided to once again start featuring one of the Best of Web Builder sites each month.

This month we are featuring the Prince Rupert Chamber of Commerce, who have successfully been using Web Builder for their site for well over three years now.

I had the pleasure of speaking with the person in charge of designing and maintaining their website, and she had plenty of good things to say about Web Builder.  She had a few suggestions as well, but mostly they are happy with the product.

Their biggest praise was for Web Builders ease of use, and convenience. Because it is designed with novice users in mind, anyone at the Prince Rupert Chamber of Commerce can make updates to the site, even if their web designer is unavailable!

There's never been a better time to get an online presence, because with our Web Builder and our Kickstart free design program, we can get you online, with a working website in less then a month! And your domain name is free with all packages (minimum registration terms apply).

For more information, please visit:  http://www.webnames.ca/services/webbuilder/kickstart.aspx

Our Web Builder site of the month for October is Play Paradise, a great small business website built and maintained with Webnames.ca’s Web Builder.

Play Paradise is an indoor playground, toy store and place to host birthday parties. Founded by Rajula Gupta, who had a vision to create a safe, welcoming indoor playground geared to one to six year olds. Families can currently visit Play Paradise at their Port Coquitlam, BC location, and the company is opening two other locations in the Lower Mainland in the next few months - in Langley (December) and North Vancouver (January 2008).

Play Paradise shares their vision for creative play and imaginative learning:

As a parent, there’s nothing more wonderful than the sound of your child’s laughter as they grow, play and learn. You cherish these early years; the joy your child finds in the simplest things reminds you that play is an ever-present need for all of us.

Play Paradise is a unique, age-appropriate, parent-supervised indoor playground geared to children aged one to six. Children play in a safe, stimulating indoor environment, in the company of their favourite characters.

 

Have a great Web Builder site of your own? Let us know by emailing blog@webnames.ca.

Web Builder starts at $6.25 CAD/month including your domain name, email accounts, website building tool with templates and hosting. '

Want help getting started? Apply for ‘Kickstart,’ Webnames.ca’s free Web Builder design service.

Subscribers to our former newsletter will recognize our latest addition: The Best of Web Builder. Once a month we will be featuring a great small business website built and maintained with Webnames.ca's Web Builder.

July's Web Builder site of the month is www.pawsitivemassage.ca

Pawsitive Massage is based in Victoria, B.C. and provides mobile massage therapy for domestic pets. First time you've heard of rehabilitative massage for Fido and Fluffy? As with humans, alternative/holistic medicine for man's best friend is burgeoning industry, with certified programs for canine and equine massage therapy offered throughout North America. A registered massage therapist for the past 16 years, Carol McCullough is also a certified Small Animal Massage Practitioner (S.A.M.P.), having studied animal anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, behaviour and handling.   

Here's a excerpt from Carol's website explaining the benefits of massage for your four-legged friend -

Dogs are like their people: they can experience similar injuries, accidents and traumas or they may also be recovering from illness or surgery and experience periods of inactivity.  Injuries need not be obvious - dogs tend to hide their pain in order not to appear weak to the rest of the "pack".  In their enthusiasm to please their owner, dogs may continue to maintain their activity level albeit in pain.

 

Check out her great website for more information, including an FAQ about her services, biography detailing her training, links to more information and articles on holistic animal care.

Have a great Web Builder site of your own? Let us know by emailing blog@webnames.ca.

Web Builder starts at $6.25 CAD/month including your domain name, email accounts, website building tool with templates and hosting.

Want help getting started? Apply for 'Kickstart,' Webnames.ca's free Web Builder design service.

Recently a Web Builder customer asked me "How can I add Google Adsense banners to my Web Builder site?" For the uninitiated, Adsense is Google's advertising program that automatically crawls the content of your pages and delivers ads (choose between text or image) that are relevant to your audience and your site content. When an ad on your site gets clicked, you get paid.

While there's no tool to "quick step" you through adding Adsense to your Web Builder site, it is actually quite easy to incorporate.

Choose a page where you want to add an Adsense banner. Note: you will need to edit the HTML code to complete the task.

In your Google AdSense account, choose a horizontal banner with dimensions around 468x60 pixels. This size should fit nicely into the main body of a normal Web Builder page. Google will generate the code for your site which should look similar to:

Choose the page you want under 'Edit Existing Pages'. Click on the "html" tab at the bottom of the page editor. Insert your cursor where you want the banner to be placed. (There must be HTML code in the editor window before the insertion point otherwise Web Builder will ignore the code when you save your changes.) Paste the code by using the Ctrl+V key combination and save your changes. Preview the page to view the results.

Best wishes for success with Adwords!

If you require help with this Web Builder tutorial, let us know by calling toll free 1-866-221-7878 or email webbuilder@webnames.ca.

Web Builder customers with Silver and Gold plans will notice that you can create customizable feedback forms, a great tool for making your website more interactive for users. While Web Builder gives you the ability to modify the form through the regular interface, here's a tip on how you can get around the limits of the interface to customize your form even more.

First, you will need to add a feedback form to your site.  Do not delete it otherwise this will not work.  Once the form is added, visit your Web Builder website, adding /splash.asp to the end of your the address (example: www.yourwebsitehere.ca/splash.asp). Now go to your new feedback form page. Take note of the URL address of the form. You will need to know the filename to make your own hacked form work.

The address might look like http://www.yourwebsite.ca/m_5.asp  View the source code. If you don't know how to do this, right click on your mouse and select 'View Source'.  Look for the tag somewhere in the middle of the source.  It will look like this:

Copy the line of code.

Note: the action attribute is listed as the file itself m_5.asp  If you delete the feedback form, you won't have an ASP script capable of accepting submitted information anymore.

You can now create your own form on a new, regular text page.  Create a new "main page" using a "Text Only Layout" style. Go into the html source code editor and start typing your form code:

And of course, feel free to insert tables, formatted copy, etc. Since the Web Builder HTML editor does not format the HTML source code, you might want to consider using an external editor such as Mozilla's free editor called Composer which comes bundled with SeaMonkey.  

One last thing ... you may be wondering what to do with the original feedback form still showing up on the site? Simply set this page to "Under Construction".  The "Under Construction" setting prevents the link from appearing anywhere on your website while still keeping the page live, but 'hidden' on the Internet.  You can remove the content, or even write a message such as "This page is not active" and redirect users to another page.