Domains and Hosting - Old City Web Services

3 Reasons to Host Email At Your Domain

September 26, 2019 by anoadmin

What does it mean to host your email at your domain?

Hosting your email at your domain means that instead of an @Gmail or @yahoo address you have an email address with your domain in it. For example, if your domain is www.windowtreatments.com, your email address would look something like john@windowtreatments.com.

You may be asking, “Well, why is this so important?” The honest answer is that clients perceive businesses that host their email at their domain as more professional. Although it may seem like a small detail, the bigger picture makes this a worthwhile marketing investment for your company.

Image contains a graphic of a laptop sending several emails.

3 Reasons to Host Email At Your Domain

We can’t think of one single reason not to host your email at your domain. On the flip side, there are many pros to taking this step. Below we’ve broken down what we think are the three biggest motivators to host your email at your domain.

It’s an integral part of your branding.

Image contains two road signs that say "email marketing strategy".

Your email address is part of your brand because its a method of communication between you and customers. In today’s world, fewer people are making phone calls and more people are doing business online. So, if most business interactions happen online versus offline, businesses have to find a practical way to communicate with customers and email is the solution. Since your email address is often incorporated on your business cards, press releases, and website, it becomes a great opportunity to expose your business name and brand to customers.

Hot tip: If you’re interested in email marketing, having an email at your domain is twice as important for branding.

It’s more professional.

Image contains a woman saying "Welcome".

Businesses that host their email at their domain are more professional. Think of it like this: A business that answers their phone with nothing but “Hello,” will result in the caller questioning if they have the right number. On the flip side, when a business answers with “Hello, this is [business name here]. How can we help you?” the caller can assume that the business is somewhat organized and has some procedures in place. In the same respect, an email address that doesn’t have a business’ domain in it can seem unprofessional and cause confusion.

Clients won’t second guess you as a sender.

Image contains warning signs that say 'spam'.

Nowadays, people receive as many spam emails as they do legitimate ones. This means they won’t look twice at an @Gmail or @yahoo address – they’ll send your message right to the Spam Folder. However this is preventable when you host your email at your domain. In fact, it’s the best way to guarantee your message will be read by your sender and that they aren’t second-guessing who the message came from.

But those aren’t the only perks when you host email at your domain.

The reasons above are persuasive from a monetary standpoint. However, when you host your email and domain with us, there are also a few benefits for you:

You can host up to ten email addresses at your domain for free.
You have more control over your business’ email. If an employee leaves, you can have their emails forwarded to you or delete their address altogether.
You can set up an alias email address so that your main business address isn’t available to just anyone.
You have a direct line to contact us if something goes wrong.

Ready to get started?

Hosting your email at your domain is inexpensive and one of the easiest steps to gaining the trust of your customers. If you’re ready to take the way your business communicates to the next level, we can help. Call us at 904-867-4112 or fill out our form by clicking the button below and selecting “Web/Email Hosting”. One of our team members will contact you to help get you started.

Press for Success

Mission Statement

The mission at Old City Web Services is to navigate the world of web design, web development, and advertising for our clients so that they can focus on what they do best – running their business! Our business intentions go beyond the metrics of graphics, coding, and SEO. Located on Florida’s First Coast, we run a personable home front service and consider our relationship with our clients as a partnership in their success.

Please share and re-post this blog. Disclaimer: Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on Old City Web Services Blog.

How to Protect Your Business Against Ransomware

February 12, 2018 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a software designed to block users from accessing their computer, most times by using encryption until a ransom is paid. Of course, victims can opt out of paying cyber-attackers any sum of money. Attackers may then delete data from the infected computers and cause other havoc that will result in a costly damage-control bill.

Who does ransomware affect?

FedEx chalked up a 300 million dollar loss in 2017 to a computer virus that was inflicted by NotPetya.
Merck lost 300 million dollars in the third quarter of their fiscal year of 2017, also due to attacks by NotPetya.
A worldwide cyberattack, organized by ransomware WannaCry, infected companies in nearly 100 countries. The attack also targeted the National Health Service of the UK. In this case, the virus jeopardized the wellbeing of hundreds of patients.

So, is this a concern for small businesses?

The short answer to this question is that we aren't sure to what extent ransomware will affect small businesses. It's natural to assume that cyber terrorists will focus on large corporations because they have more money and more sensitive computer data.

However, despite the lack of news coverage, a survey conducted by Malwarebytes (a malware protection software) found that one-third of small businesses were victims of ransomware attacks in 2016. Therefore, we can also assume that the rise of ransomware inevitably puts businesses of all sizes at risk.

Ransomware is significantly more detrimental when the focus is on a small business. In fact, the same study that Malwarebytes performed in 2016 also reported that 22% of small businesses impacted by ransomware had to cease operations.

How to Protect Your Business Against Ransomware

Jordan, our Linux System Administrator, always warns clients, "You wouldn’t believe the number of clients who have been hacked because they thought they recognized the “From:” address in a spam mail."

A photo of ransomware protection rules

Believe it or not, many ransomware cases involving small businesses in the United States were initiated the oldfashioned way - via email. In fact, malicious email links were responsible for 37% of the cases! Thankfully, cyber security is always at the forefront of our team's mind.

But, preventative care goes beyond staying away from spam mail. A few other actions you can take to ensure your computer doesn't fall victim to cyber terrorists include:

Host your email and domain on a secure server. For example, you might consider hosting your email and domain through a reliable company like Old City Web Services.
Spread general "cybersecurity" awareness throughout your team and let your employees know the devastating effect that opening junk mail can have.
Backup, backup, backup! It is so important that businesses backup their data and do so often. In the event that you are attacked, this will prevent you from PAYING ransom. If you're hacked and don't have a backup, how will you access your important files and data?
Blacklisting and whitelisting. A blacklist is a list of domains and email addresses that you do not want to receive emails from. A whitelist is a list of domains and email addresses that you preapprove receiving messages from.

Mission Statement

Our mission at Old City Web Services is to navigate the world of web design, web development, and advertising for our clients so that they can focus on what they do best – running their business! Our business intentions go beyond the metrics of graphics, coding, and SEO. Located on Florida’s First Coast, we run a personable home front service and consider our relationship with our clients as a partnership in their success. If you are looking to increase your business’ visibility give us a call at 904-867-4112 or contact us today.

Sharing and re-posting this blog is encouraged. Please credit Old City Web Services when sharing.
Disclaimer: Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information on Old City Web Services Blog.

Domain Name Importance

September 18, 2017 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

When it comes to your domain name, there are a few things that you need to know:

Who is your domain registered with (Tucows, Network Solutions, GoDaddy, etc..)
Who, if anyone, is managing it for you or are you responsible for it yourself
When is it due to expire/renew

By making sure that your domain is renewed in time, you are ensuring that your website remains active and that you'll keep receiving email at your domain name. By not keeping information current on your domain and failing to renew it in a timely manner, you run the risk of paying more to renew and occasionally you may even lose ownership of it altogether. We'd hate to see that happen.

When we manage your domain for you, not only will you receive several email renewal notifications, you'll also receive a phone call/calls from us until we make sure we have your authorization to renew.

If you are interested in having our team manage your domain, contact us today!

Why It’s Important to Backup

June 14, 2017 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Last week, we talked about the importance of preparing your business for hurricane season. In the preparation steps we talked about, we mentioned backing up important documents to an offsite location.

No matter the forecast, backing up is an important habit to incorporate into your day-to-day operations. Backing up not only protects your documents in the cases of severe weather but also safeguards you in the case of your computer breaking down with old age, a hacker crashing your operating system, or your computer getting a virus.

What should I backup?

Work files
Important data
Email
Website

Why should I backup?

While backing up might seem like one more thing on your to-do list, it really should be a priority. Your computer might be the important piece of equipment that holds all the important data and passwords and business documents, but without the content, what is your computer really worth?

Not backing up is the same thing as not having a spare key for your car. We don't make a spare car key because we intend to use them; we make the key as a backup plan.

Ask yourself: What are the contents of my computer worth?

Value can be determined by how long it would take to recreate the contents or the loss your company will face without them. Think about it: How many files do you create in a day, week or year? Depending on the value of your documents, you should backup regularly - at least once a week, if not more. The more often you do this, the more it becomes a part of your routine.

How do I backup my files?

Cloud storage/file-synchronization services
- Google Drive has many features available. You can store every type of file, save email attachments, and backup photos. Files are private, but you can allow others to view them via an invitation. Safety is a top priority with the use of encryption using an SSL (secure socket layer). Google Drive also includes apps to make working easier and gives you the ability to work offline as well. Google Drive provides the first 15GB you use for free.
- Microsoft OneDrive allows users to sync files from PC or Mac and access from any device. You can collaborate with your teammates and have the ability to sync your files with Microsoft Office. Microsoft OneDrive also focuses on safety by using encryption, compliance, and security features. Microsoft OneDrive requires a monthly fee.
- Dropbox - Dropbox gives you access to the files you've created from anywhere. This application can also be installed on all computers and devices. You can send large files easily, work on shared folders with teammates, and access your files when you are offline. Files are protected by a 2-step verification and by sharing controls. File recovery is also available for up to 30 days. Dropbox requires a monthly fee.
External Hard Drives are common and an inexpensive way to backup your computer. Most hard drives now plug in using a USB connection. External hard drives are available in various storage sizes.
USB Flash Drives are great if you need to back something up quickly. While we would not recommend a flash drive as a permanent way to backup, they can be a good short-term way to save documents or projects you are working on.

What about backing up my email/website?

Backing up email is a simple process.
- For Mac computers, go to your Mail, select one or more mailboxes, choose Mailbox, and then click Export Mailbox. Then pick the folder you want the file to go into and click Choose. The file will then be stored where you have chosen.
- For PCs, go into your Microsoft Outlook, click File and then click Open & Export. Then click the Import/Export button. If you are working in the 2010 version of Outlook, click File and then click Advanced to get to this setting. A menu will pop up. You should choose "Export to a file." You will then be given an option of which folders in your mailbox you'd like to export. You can then decide where your file goes. Once you have completed these steps, the file will be stored where you have chosen.
When it comes to your website, it is important to make sure it is backed up on a secure server. At Old City Web Services, we offer website and email hosting on our own secure servers for a minimal hosting fee that includes routine email and site backup. We can migrate almost any language a website is written in from other hosting companies to our servers, or you can launch your new website with us. Our servers are housed in a secure facility with backup generators, several internet backbones and a structure built to withstand a Category Five hurricane. In-house customer service is available via phone, online or in person.

Backup today!

As you can see, backing up your work, important documents, emails, and your website is vital for the safety and security of your business. With these simple steps, you can be prepared and have peace of mind in the day-to-day running of your business. If you have any questions or concerns about backing up or are interested in our website and email hosting, contact our team!

How to Prevent Getting Hacked

May 19, 2017 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Let's face it. A lot of our lives take place online these days. We can send a quick email instead of going to the post office. We can do our banking via our phone. We can build an online presence for our businesses people see before they ever set foot in our brick and mortar stores. While our dependence on technology isn't showing any signs of slowing down, it's important to stay safe online.

One of the biggest safety concerns with technology is protection against hackers and viruses. Everyone online is susceptible to safety threats. So, how can you prevent these threats and protect yourself?

Change your passwords regularly

Efficient and carefully constructed passwords help protect your accounts and private information. It's important to change your password at least every 90 days. It might seem inconvenient but could pay off big time.
Other important things to remember:
- Use different password for each of your accounts
- Make sure password has a variation of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols
- Make your password lengthy. The more intricate the password, the more difficult it is to guess.
- Keep passwords stored in a safe place.
For more information on password safety, read our blog: Are Your Passwords Safe?

Make sure your computer is protected

Security software is vital to the protection of your computer and the programs run on it. Not installing the proper security software is the equivalent of leaving your door unlocked. It leaves you vulnerable to thieves getting in and stealing what's important to you.

When the proper antivirus and antimalware software isn't installed, you become susceptible. Hackers create viruses and malware for different reasons. Through viruses, hackers have the ability to take control of your computer, steal information, and cripple your computer or network of computers. Malware tracks your actions such as what passwords you type, what credit card numbers you use and other sensitive information.

Just as it is important to have the right software, it's just as important to make sure that software is as up to date as possible.

Perform routine updates on your website

Like we stated in our last blog, Why Updating Your Site Matters, content management systems, such as WordPress, regularly send out updates. It is vital to your website's security that you keep up with these updates. Although your host’s servers may have tight security, a website that is behind on updates becomes vulnerable to security threats. It makes you more susceptible to hackers and viruses.

A big target of hackers is websites, such as e-commerce sites, that contain sensitive information such as credit card numbers. A website using old software has a much higher risk of being hacked.

Practical Tips to Protect Yourself

Be cautious if you receive emails from people you don't recognize
Don't click links in suspicious emails
Be cautious of emails that ask for sensitive information (personal information, credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, etc.). Reputable companies will never ask for that type of information via an email.
Don't store passwords or sensitive information on your computer. In the chance that your computer is hacked, this puts you at risk for having your information used against you.
When using public WiFi, don't allow file-sharing. A hacker can implant bad software on your computer through this avenue
Make sure your email and website are hosted on secure servers

How We Can Help

Our clients' safety is a top priority at Old City Web Services. We offer website and email hosting on our own secure servers for a minimal hosting fee that includes customer service. Our staff is always available if something goes wrong. We also perform website maintenance to protect against safety threats. If our customers ever do have a security issue, our staff is just a phone call away. Contact us for a free consultation to see how we can keep you and your business safe.

Fresh Start: Meeting a Company Organically vs. Online

January 17, 2017 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

These days, meeting people online is just as common as meeting people in person. You can make friends, build communities, and even connect with a potential mate all without leaving your couch.

In a society of convenience, it seems as though everything we need is at our fingertips. But as the saying goes: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Let's take the online dating for example. When you sign up for an account, you're instantly flooded with tons of profiles. It seems simple enough - you compare profiles until you find someone who has everything you want, right? If only it were that easy.

Online dating sites are known for having fake accounts or people pretending to be someone they're not. There's no way for you to tell if they are who they say they are. That's the risk you take with attempting to find your match online.

So, what about companies you choose to work with? How do you find them?

There are many options for web development companies out there.

There are a lot of big name companies who have flashy websites with a lengthy list of accomplishments, services, and promises. And while a modern website and impressive list of strengths might make you do a double-take, just remember: What do you really know about them? A company can present any image they like, but even the most accomplished looking company can have its faults.

Ask yourself:

How does a company interact with customers?
- It doesn't matter how great a company's website looks if they don't have the customer service to match. It is important to have a few interactions (i.e. phone calls, emails, in-person meetings) with a potential web development company before signing any contracts. This will give you a first-hand insight into how they treat people and how you will be treated as a client.
What is their reputation?
- Do you know people who have used this company before? What was their experience? Do they follow through on what they promise? Does their service match what they present online? It's always a good idea to do an internet search on your potential partnership. This allows you to see if they have an overall positive or negative response, what people are saying about them, and what they've done lately.

The Old City Web Services Difference

We're local.

We're not some company based far away. Old City Web Services is local. We're real people rooted in our community who care about the success and well-being of our clients. Being a part of the community, we believe that our word and reputation means everything.

We go the extra mile to care.

Customers are our number one focus. We make it our mission to go above and beyond for our clients.

We know that issues occur at all hours of the day. Even though our business hours are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., if you have a critical issue after hours, you can call, leave a voicemail, and someone will respond as soon as possible.
We offer a Help Desk on our website, featuring comprehensive device and software specific tutorials to get you up and running quickly. Our Help Desk tutorials include:
- How to set up an email hosted by Old City Web Services
- How to set up your Old City Web Services hosted email on major email programs
- How to set up your email on your mobile device
We listen to our clients' needs even if they don't voice them. We've been in the business since 1998, and one thing we pride ourselves on is thinking one step ahead. This allows us to present our clients with advice, new ideas that would help their business, and ideas for the future.

We will watch out for you.

We make it a point to stay on top of things to make life easier for you. We manage our clients' domains. We leave the domains in their name; we never require that they switch ownership to us.
When domain services need to be renewed, our customers receive an email notification as well as a phone call far in advance. If domain services are not renewed, a website will go down. We are here to protect our clients and their businesses.
- Often, we get calls from clients because companies contact them with false information by sending what looks like an invoice trying to say their domain is up for renewal in order to scam people out of money.
- That's a reason to have Old City Web Services manage your domain. We keep an eye on your domain so that you never miss a renewal and so that everything is running smoothly.

Before you commit to us, come in for a free consultation. It's a great way for you to get to know us and let us show you why we should be your top choice.

Fresh Start: Your Web Design Relationship Guide

January 3, 2017 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

With a new year comes New Year’s resolutions, a time of evaluating your current life choices and seeing where improvements should be made. Whether it’s eating healthier, having a new gym routine, putting yourself back into the dating game, or improving relationships, it’s all about making the best choices for your life.

As we evaluate what brings positivity to our lives, it might be best to look and see which connections make your life better and which ones you could do without. Your relationship might have seemed like something straight out of a movie at the beginning. They might’ve seemed like your knight in shining armor when you met them, but they could’ve lost their luster. They’ve never been perfect, but you’ve been afraid that you won’t find someone who can do what they do. What if we told you there could be someone better out there for you?

Reading this you might ask yourself, “Wait a minute, is this a relationship blog or business blog?” We’re glad you asked! It’s both. Your relationship with your web development company is one of the most important relationships you have as a business owner. While you may be comfortable with your current situation, it might be time to move on to something better. New year, new you as they say.

Come along with us in our “Fresh Start” blog series as we show you what a healthy business relationship looks like and all that a reputable web design and development company can offer.

In this blog series, we’ll cover topics such as:

How to decide if a company is a right fit for you
Signs you’re in a healthy relationship with a company
When it’s time to break up and move on

Do you own your domain name?

April 24, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Have you ever heard of Cybersquatting (also known as domain squatting)? Cybersquatting, according to the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, is "registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else." The cybersquatter then offers to sell the domain to the person or company who owns a trademark contained within the name at an inflated price. Whether it's big corporations or your average Joe trying to make an extra buck, it is important to always make sure you are listed as the registrant of your domain name. Just because you pay for it, doesn't mean you are necessarily the legal owner.

How do I know if I own my domain?

There are multiple websites that offer free domain name look-up such as Network Solutions and Whois.net. These sites allow you to search for your domain and see the registrants name, address, contact information and renewal dates as well as anyone else who may be listed on your account.

Can someone register my domain name for me?

Absolutely--just double check that your name is listed as the owner. We here at Old City Web Services register new domain names, renew existing ones and manage them so that they don't expire without our clients knowledge. Here's the key--We always list the client as the owner of the domain, meaning our clients have total control over their account information. We are only listed as a technical contact so that we can help our clients by reminding them when it's time to renew or if their contact info needs updating. Once we register a domain, we automatically lock it down; insuring that only authorized persons will be allowed to make changes. By having the domain locked it will also guarantee it is safe and will not be stolen. It is important to have a trusted web company manage your domain for ownership and security reasons.

Don't let someone blackmail you for your domain--Let Old City Web Services register and manage your domain so that you can have peace of mind and 100% assurance that your domain name is safe and in your control. Give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com for more information on your domain or how we can help!

3 Ways to Protect your Website

March 13, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Your website is a work of art-- it's a valuable and important tool that you should be proud of and an investment that most likely took time and effort to put together. The very last thing you want is for all of your hard work and money to be ruined by sneaky hackers or malicious software programs. Below, we have listed 3 preventative methods to protect your website from harmful or malicious hackers.

1.) Host your website locally

By choosing a local web company to host your site, such as Old City Web Services, you are guaranteed premium customer service and in the case that anything does go wrong, we have a 24/7 emergency line, scheduled backups to restore compromised sites and the ability to troubleshoot to detect the problem. The last thing you want is to go with an international web-based company and then when you need them the most, be put on hold for hours on end waiting for a customer service representative to answer. Old City Web Services offers expert systems administration, 10 individual web-based e-mail accounts per domain and a listing in our directory on OldCity.com - one of the top portals for visitors and locals receiving over 92,000 visitors just last month!

2.) Re-think your password

Although your dog's name may be easy to remember, a simple 4-letter word is asking for hackers to invade your site. It is especially important to secure a more complex password for sites that have a back-end log-in that can be accessed on any computer with internet access. Once your password is detected, your site content is vulnerable to malicious code without your knowledge! Make sure your password incorporates a combination of letters, numbers and symbols and is at least 8 characters long. Also, never save your passwords on your computer--even though it may be a hassle to re-type every time you log-in, this will prevent hackers from getting into your account. Additionally, you'll want to establish a method for changing your password every few months. You can relate it to the month it is changed, for example, your password could be *3wmnR13! then in 90 days change it to *6wmnR13! This is good practice for all of your online accounts that require a password such as online banking or email. Lastly, write your passwords on a piece of paper and keep them in a safe location, just in case your computer ever crashes, you will always have a copy in your records.

3.) Always use CAPTCHA

CAPTCHA or "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart," is a program that detects whether or not the user on your site is a human or a computer. These are the colorful images with distorted text (see image below for example) that you often will see when entering your credit card online or filling out an application or registration form with your personal information. CAPTCHA should be used on any website that has a form in order to avoid abuse from "bots," or automated programs or scripts that are primarily written to generate spam.

Domains: What you need to know for your business.

May 2, 2012 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

1. What IS a domain?

Your domain name is the address of your website. Just like your business might be located at 123 US1 South, your website has to have a unique address so people can find it online. Our domain name, for example, is oldcitywebservices.com.

2. How do you purchase a domain?

Domains can be purchased by the year for up to five years at a time. Reserving your domain for multiple years is better for the search engine optimization of your website. A search engine like Google looks at a site that has a domain reserved for multiple years and sees a reliable business that plans on being around for a while.

3. What domain should you choose?

Picking a domain name can be a tough choice. You want something that is relevant to your business, memorable and also search engine friendly. It shouldn't be too long and you should avoid dashes and other characters than can confuse people. Where possible, try to stick with your business name as your domain name.

4. Is it okay to use multiple domains?

You can register multiple domain names and use them to point visitors to your main website. However, search engines (and people) can sometimes get confused if you have multiple domain names. Most of the time, simpler is better.

5. How often should you check your domain registration?

It's CRITICAL to keep your domain name registration info up to date. If you have an old email address listed on your domain registration you will NOT receive a notice when your domain is expiring and could lose your domain name for good. If your domain is registered with OCWS you will periodically receive an email from us asking if any of your information has changed. We will also contact you personally when your domain is within 90 days of its expiration so that we can take care of the renewal for you, leaving you free to focus on your business.

Old City Web Services can register a domain for you! Call us and we can get your domain registered in a matter of minutes. All domains registered through OCWS include privacy protection to hide your name and contact information from basic searches. We also lock the domain so that it cannot be transferred without your knowledge.