NextAdvisor guide to using web hosting ad credits

Posted by kent on November 19th, 2009

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If you've signed up for web hosting, or spent any time looking into it, you've probably noticed that just about everyone offers Google and/or Yahoo! ad credits. Usually you're offered $50 worth of the former, and sometimes $25 worth of the latter. Just what do those credits buy you, and how do you use them?

Let's look at AdWords. Most people have seen AdWords in action, even if they don't know the program by name. AdWords is a pay-per-click ad program that allows site owners to promote their sites right next to Google search results.

You can use web hosting AdWords credits to bid on keywords and advertise your own site (you cannot use it to pay for the $5.00 sign-up fee, however).

So, what will $50 buy you? You can bid as low as one cent for a keyword (though you'll probably be quickly outbid) or as high as you want. That bid amount represents the most you will pay per click on your ad. Like an eBay auction, you may not end up paying your maximum bid, but you should be prepared to pay that amount per click that you get. If you have the fairly standard $50 ad credit, it can theoretically cover:

50 clicks for a $1.00 bid

1 click for a $50.00 bid

1,000 clicks for a $.05 bid

This is a simplification, of course (and we don't recommend $50 bids). You can pay less if there are lower bids than yours. How much you'll actually need to bid depends on your keyword(s) and how high on the page you'd like your ad to appear. Be aware that your ad credit is a not a hard spending limit. If you don't want to spend more than $50, you'll need to monitor your account carefully. AdWords will let you set daily limits, but not a total budget cap.

That's basically how bidding works. Here's how to redeem an AdWords coupon, if one came with your web hosting:

Step 1: Find your code

This will differ depending on your web host, but most users will find this in their control panel. Here we used HostGator, since it uses the widely used cPanel. You'll find it under Marketing Services:

You should then see a page like the one below. Copy the code (here represented by a series of X's), and follow the link to Google's AdWords page.

Step 2: Register for AdWords

If you don't already have a basic Google account (such as a Gmail account), you'll have to create one. Then you'll have to create an AdWords account:

Create an AdWords account

After you create your account, follow the steps of setting your time zone and currency, and verifying your account. Once you've verified your account, you can log in and get to work.

Step 3: Enter your code

In order to use your ad credits, click the "Billing" tab.

This is where you'll have to input payment information for the aforementioned $5.00 setup fee,  as well as any spending you might do beyond your ad credit (which Google hopes you'll do). After that, click the link next to  "Do you have a promotional code?" and enter the code in the box that appears.

Step 4: Create and Bid

We won't go through the process of making an ad, since Google offers pretty good documentation on how to do that. Beyond your $5.00 set-up fee, you don't have much to lose. If you use your web site to sell something, there's no reason not to try it out. Just make sure you keep track of how much you're spending through your AdWords control panel on Google. Also, there may be an expiration date depending on your web host's offer, so check that too before you begin.

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Can I backup my operating system?

Posted by kent on November 10th, 2009

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: Can I backup my operating system?

A: By default, most online backup services are set to backup documents and other irreplaceable items on your hard drive. In general they do not automatically back up programs or your operating system (or OS, for short). Now, you can have your service back up pretty much anything on your hard drive. While it's crucial to have a restore disk with your OS on it, it's critical that the backup is on a separate, physical installation disk, such as a CD ROM. And it shouldn't just be a copy of your OS; it should be a full restore disk that will install a new OS from scratch. There are three big reasons why, and they're related:

The OS is the foundation of your system. In order to access your online backup service, you have to be using your OS; it simply runs everything. Trying to replace the OS on your startup disk would be a bit like trying to swap out the engine of our car while you're driving it.

Similarly, if your hard drive ever does crash, and your OS goes with it, you won't be able to access your online backup service. You'll have to start up from a separate startup disk. Once you have your system reinstalled, you'll be able to connect to your online backup service and get your documents back.

Now, you might ask why you can't just startup from that external disk, access your online backup, and then restore your OS from a browser running on that external disk. While that may work, a clean install is always the best way. If you've backed up your email, various libraries and preferences (Carbonite does this, for instance, but you should always check to see what your service backs up by default). There are just too many components in the OS that need be installed in a particular way, and in specific places.

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Can I transfer Carbonite to my new computer?

Posted by kent on October 30th, 2009

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: I purchased your product about a month ago then I bought a new computer because my old one was so stinking slow. Can I transfer Carbonite to my new computer (It even has my old hard drive in it)?

A: It's a great question, but first we should clarify that while we do review and provide links to Carbonite, NextAdvisor.com is a separate company. With that out of the way, here's the answer to your question:

In short: Yes. That's the great thing about a subscription-based services like Carbonite. I found these instructions on the help section on Carbonite's web site. I'm assuming you reformatted your drive when you put it on the new machine, so the first step probably doesn't apply to you. The main thing you need to do is access your Carbonite account online and transfer your subcscription to your new computer, but here are detailed steps:

1) If the computer that Carbonite is currently installed on is still in use, Uninstall Carbonite (using Add/Remove Programs from Control Panel). Otherwise, proceed to step 2.

4) Follow the instructions to download and install Carbonite

Again, some of these steps will depend on whether or not you reformatted your drive. And if you did reformat the drive, you can use Carbonite to restore the files that were on your old machine.

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AVG Internet Security: 27% off, or two years for the price of one?

Posted by kent on October 21st, 2009

AVG Internet Security has two competing discounts right now. They are mutually exclusive, so here's how they compare:

Offer #1: AVG is offering two years of Internet Security 9.0 for $54.99. This seems to be their standard offer, and it's the one reflected in our comparison chart. That's a cheap two-year plan, breaking down to $27.50 per year.

Offer #2: Until October 28th, you can get a single year of AVG Internet Security 9.0 for $39.99. It's a discount of 27%. Unfortunately there's no way to combine these two offers.

In our recent review of AVG Internet Security, we were impressed with the url blocker and the process viewer. To get the full scoop, and to see how it compares to other services, check out our Internet security software reviews and comparisons.

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How do I know if my iTunes library is backed up by Carbonite?

Posted by kent on October 16th, 2009

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: I purchased Carbonite and see no indication my songs in I-tunes have been backed up. How can I get it backed up? If it is backed up how would I know?

A: The purchase version of Carbonite should back up your iTunes music by default. If you're not sure that it has, here's what you should do. These are directions for a Windows machine:

1. Navigate to "My Computer" (or "Computer" in Vista)

2. Find your way to your iTunes music via this path:

C:\Documents and Settings\your user name\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Music

3. Look for green dots. If there are green dots by the MP3 files, then they're backed up. This explanation from the Carbonite website shows the three possible states files can be in:

4. If you don't see green dots, then you can right-click on the folder. Use the contextual menu to select "Back this Up."

If you're using a Mac, it's pretty much the same process, except you'll start your search in the "Places" sidebar in the a finder window.

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Symantec on shortened URLs

Posted by kent on October 13th, 2009

Internet security experts Symantec have release a video showing how shortened URLs (such as those used on Twitter) can lead to malware. We've long talked about the danger posed by shortened URLs. Here's what it looks like:

Does this mean shortened URLs are off limits? The accompanying blog post points the way to two plugins, one for Firefox and one for Internet Explorer that will show you the actual destination of the URL. Still, that's no guarantee of the safety of the URL, but it's more information that will help you decide whether or not the link is worth following.

Symantec is the creator of Norton Internet Security, our favorite of the 2010 crop of security solutions. To read our review, and see how Norton stacks up against the competition, check out our comparisons and reviews.

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Can I use an online backup service to move to a new computer?

Posted by kent on October 6th, 2009

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: I was considering Carbonite after reading your comparison of backup software and services. I am contemplating getting a new computer to replace my dell dim 5150 and thought Carbonite could be a good way to make the transition. but not having purchased it yet, I do not know the details. I do note it is not marketed that way. Good idea or bad?

A: In a sense, using an online backup service to move to a new computer would be just like restoring your files onto a new machine after a hard drive crash. We applaud your ingenuity. It's not a bad idea, but as with any work-around process, there are some things to keep in mind:

1) You will need to do some manual configuring of the backup process. By default Carbonite does not back up everything. For instance, it does not back up video files or any files over 4GB in size. You'll need to go through the backup preferences to make sure every file type is covered.

2) While you can have Carbonite back up your program files, it's best to install these fresh. Make sure you have access to the original installation discs or that you still have the original install files on your PC (and that you've instructed Carbonite to back them up).

3) It will take a lot longer. A full online system restore can take a day or longer, and that doesn't count the original backup which will take just as long. There are many reasons for this, including the encryption used by your online backup service provider (it has to encrypt the data before leaving one computer and decrypt it for the new computer). Last time I upgraded to a new computer, I used a firewire cable to transfer the data from a Powerbook to an iMac and it took less than two hours. Speeds using other cables will vary, but there's no way online backup can match a direct connection.

So, while it's certainly possible, it's an investment of time and effort. Online backup services are meant to keep all your important data safe, and (in most cases) to give you mobile access to that data. If your hard drive crashes, or is stolen, you probably won't care if it takes a whole day to restore your data. But, if you're anything like me, when you get a new computer even two hours is too long to wait. In which case you might want to try something like LapLink's PCmover (though we have not yet had the opportunity to try it out).

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National Cyber Security Awareness Month

Posted by kent on October 1st, 2009

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month and the big question is: How will you celebrate? The Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance want you to learn how to keep yourself safe online. According to their press release, "just 40% of Americans have had any formal type of online security or safety training."

Really? That number seems rather high. A brief and unscientific study of our office showed that no one here could remember ever attending any kind of "online security or safety training" but we all know not to click on unknown email attachments, download strange programs from LimeWire, or pay attention to web pages that warn us that our computers are infected. And we all have Internet security software installed.

The feds have a vested interest in cyber security because bot-infected computers have been used to run denial of service attacks on government web sites.

As a digital society relying on the Internet for nearly everything from financial services to supply chain management to an increasingly smart electric grid, to name a few, America's ability to fortify the security of the Internet is critical to the nation's economic success, the government's ability to deliver critical services, and every American's access to information.

The focus of NCSAM is to make people aware that infected PCs are not just potentially dangerous for bank accounts, they're also dangerous to us on a larger scale. Plus, a DoS attack can totally knock out Twitter, and Senator McCain loves to Twitter.

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NextAdvisor reviews SugarSync online backup

Posted by kent on September 29th, 2009

We've just added another review to our online backup service comparisons. SugarSync is a novel entry to the field, a product that really moves online backup to the next level. Sporting a variety of innovative features, SugarSync is actually fun to use. In most ways it works like other online backup services, uploading your changed files to a data cloud, making sure they're available to you anytime, anywhere.

But SugarSync is more inspired than that. Keeping your files in a cloud has all kinds of potential benefits, and SugarSync takes advantage of them. You can stream your stored music to any computer, or even a handheld device like an iPhone. You can sync data from multiple computers no matter where they are or what kind they are (PC or MAC). You can share your files too. While a lot of online backup service providers do this, SugarSync makes it very easy and very configurable, making it the perfect tool for those who collaborate on projects from remote locations.

Check out our full review and see how SugarSync compares to other online backup service providers.

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Yahoo! Small Business Web Hosting: 50% off

Posted by kent on September 10th, 2009

Yahoo! Small Business Web Hosting has dropped a nice little surprise discount by offering the first year of its web hosting package for $4.99 per month. That comes in at 50%-off of their normal price of $9.95 per month. This marks a substantial savings from one of our best reviewed web hosting providers. Yahoo! keeps its web hosting under the monicker of Yahoo! Small Business, which is a bit unfortunate, as it probably drives away individuals looking to host personal sites.

For individuals or businesses new to web hosting, Yahoo! Small Business gets our top recommendation. They don't boast the fastest data transfer speeds around, but their interface and customer service are top notch. While we reviewed a number of compelling web hosting services, only Yahoo! takes you through the process step-by-step; you always know exactly what to do and when. Our main complaint had been the price of the service, but with the current discount, that argument is moot.

In the grand tradition of offer notifications, here are some details you should know: the price is good for the first twelve months. The offer expires October 8th, 2009. It's also for new accounts only. Also, registration and setup are free, but domain privacy (which we recommend) will cost you an extra dollar per month.

To get this price, just follow any links to Yahoo! Small Business from NextAdvisor, such as this link right here. Or, you can read our reviews and see how Yahoo!'s web hosting stacks up against the competition.

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