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Web Hosting Recommendations

  • 1.  Web Hosting Recommendations

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-13-2018 10:33
    I am curious what piano shops pay for web hosting services for piano work, particularly rebuilding shops. Is the web design cost separate from web hosting? Can anyone strongly recommend a designer/hosting company? I've seen some excellent sites out there, and some not so excellent sites.

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    John Minor
    University of Illinois
    jminor@illinois.edu
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  • 2.  RE: Web Hosting Recommendations

    Posted 05-13-2018 10:55
    I use ipage.com (no relation) and construct my website on my Mac with iWeb. It makes it very convenient to add photos of pianos for sale and to edit text.

    PS, Since I posted this, I edited three of my piano sale pages.
    ------------------------------
    Regards,

    Jon Page
    http://www.pianocapecod.com


  • 3.  RE: Web Hosting Recommendations

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-13-2018 11:45
    Hi John:
    In the Classifieds of your Journal, check out "Websites for Piano Tuners". Www.PianoTunerWebsites.com. 800 533-7998. Their web designs are beautiful, and not expensive at all. All you have to do is to put in your own photos and text, or have them do it. The hosting is very inexpensive, and they have other services at reasonable prices, such as setting up a Pay-to-Click campaign and other add-ons. I don't think you'll find a cheaper price for such nice designs. They are Wordpress based, so you can make changes yourself easily, or have them do it for you. There are also DIY sites that will teach you how to make your own website (WIX, etc.), and they will host it for you. Usually the yearly fee is around $120,I believe, a little more for those DIY sites.
    Google likes Wordpress sites, and you'll end up ranking higher in searches if you use that platform. It is meant for doing a blog, so you'll want to regularly write articles that relate to your business. Wordpress is a "dynamic" web platform, which means it is cobbled together when the website is called. A "static" site has all the files in one place on the server, and it doesn't change. If you want to DIY, Dreamweaver is a program that the pros use for making websites, but I'm not sure if you can do a Wordpress site with it. I've not looked at it for years. Doing Wordpress sites from scratch requires education and a lot of time.
    Anyway, probably a lot more than you wanted to know. I have an older Wordpres site that's kind of dated, and it cost me about $400 many years ago. I have no idea how much somebody might charge me today. My web designer was fresh out of school and was working for the store where I was working. He offered me a very low price, so I agreed. I think he'd probably charge me ten times that now. He works for one of the big tech giants somewhere in SillyCon Valley.
    Seriously, check out the Websites for Piano Tuners. Nice folks, good prices, beautiful designs.
    FWIW.
    Paul McCloud
    San DIego


    John Minor
    I am curious what piano shops pay for web hosting services for piano work, particularly rebuilding shops. Is the web design cost separate from web hosting? Can anyone strongly recommend a designer/hosting company? I've seen some excellent sites out there, and some not so excellent sites.

    ------------------------------
    John Minor
    University of Illinois
    jminor@illinois.edu





  • 4.  RE: Web Hosting Recommendations

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-13-2018 16:26
    I use Wix for my website. It's super simply to use (drag and drop), plenty of options (read in the 10,000s) for templates. The beauty of this system is the I can do anything I want to the website myself (check it out below). I don't have to wait for others - which means, if you find a typo, email me and let me know, and I can fix it within 15 minutes if I'm home. It costs around $15 a month, and my rate doesn't change if I keep auto-renewal turned on. I get about 50% of new clients from it. (Other 50% are word of mouth.)

    Yes, it's a little work to get it up and going, but in my opinion, it's worth being in control of it yourself. Oh, and it automatically makes it mobile friendly, which is something that's lacking from MANY technician's websites.

    Seriously, check out the link below. If you would like me to help design yours, shoot me an email. If it's on Wix, I can even help you design it remotely.

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    Benjamin Sanchez
    Professional Piano Services
    (805)315-8050
    www.professional-piano-services.com
    BenPianoPro@comcast.net
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Web Hosting Recommendations

    Posted 05-14-2018 23:52
    There are some out there that are based upon the number of potential customer hits you anticipate and the cost is compatible to the return.  As well-known as you are, that might be worth investigation.  I rarely post here, but I thought this might help you?

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    Ted Rohde
    Central Illinois
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  • 6.  RE: Web Hosting Recommendations

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-15-2018 00:30
    Thanks for the suggestions, Ted!

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    John Minor
    University of Illinois
    jminor@illinois.edu
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  • 7.  RE: Web Hosting Recommendations

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-15-2018 00:36
    Lot's of useful suggestions here. Thanks every one!

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    John Minor
    University of Illinois
    jminor@illinois.edu
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  • 8.  RE: Web Hosting Recommendations

    Posted 05-16-2018 16:14
      |   view attached
    I use wordpress. I'm hosted by Hostgator. Wordpress is free. Hostgator is like $40 a year. 
    I was using a purchased theme, but it was overly complicated so i ex'd it. I then tried the free 2017 theme, it was ok but was not totally happy with it.

    So here is why wordpress is so cool. Last night i decided to try another free theme.  I picked one called Bento. So far I like it, and it only took me an hour to do. It has many options, and its user friendly. I chose the box format instead of widescreen. I used a soundboard bridge notching picture, because the wood chips look cool.  In fact, last night the header and footer colors were purple. I just changed them to green a minute ago. Looks better.
    wordpress= free= endless possibilities. Its as easy as MS-word too.
    -chris
    #caveman

    ------------------------------
    A hunter's drumbeat steers the stampeding herd,
    His belly growls in hunger to what he sees.
    The mammoth aware blows his mighty trumpet,
    But alas, the caveman tickles the ivories.

    chernobieffpiano.com
    865-986-7720
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Web Hosting Recommendations

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-16-2018 17:32
    Looks really nice, Chris.
    And then there's SEO. With lots of people more than anxious to help you with that, uh, for a price.
    Best,
    Paul McCloud




  • 10.  RE: Web Hosting Recommendations

    Posted 05-16-2018 19:31
    Thanks Paul appreciate it.
    -chris

    ------------------------------
    A hunter's drumbeat steers the stampeding herd,
    His belly growls in hunger to what he sees.
    The mammoth aware blows his mighty trumpet,
    But alas, the caveman tickles the ivories.

    chernobieffpiano.com
    865-986-7720
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: Web Hosting Recommendations

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-18-2018 10:50
    I use Wordpress hosted on Bluehost, and I've been happy with it.

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    Anthony Willey
    Easy Piano Tuner
    Shoreline WA
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  • 12.  RE: Web Hosting Recommendations

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-22-2018 18:57
    I just finished a face lift of my website. It looks SO much better, and I don't feel like it's just an ad now; it's an opportunity for the client to get to know me and my business philosophy before ever meeting me. This is why I so love designing my own website, and not having to rely on someone else. I can change whatever I want, whenever I want, and to my own standards.

    If you wouldn't mind checking it out (at the link below) and giving me feedback I'd appreciate it! Thanks!

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    Benjamin Sanchez
    Professional Piano Services
    (805)315-8050
    www.professional-piano-services.com
    BenPianoPro@comcast.net
    ------------------------------