Sites that require users to log in to access certain information and/or purchase products add an additional layer of potential complication to the usability process. To avoid potential visitor confusion and the possibility for errors, it is important that any login process requires little or no thought on the part of the site visitor.

Once logged in, you must be sure that visitors are able to find the information they want and expect to find. My Account pages need to provide visitors with access and ability to view and change personal information, as necessary.

Login Access

Access to any login page (or the login form itself) should be available consistently across all pages of the site. Be sure the form or link is obvious and easily differentiated from other areas of the web page.

Security

If the information behind your login contains sensitive data, you need to use the appropriate security protocols, assuring visitors that that you take their information's security seriously.

Registration

If visitors are not already registered a link to a new user registration form should be present. It's also smart to have a global link to "register" for any new visitors to the site.

Account benefits

Non registered visitors should be treated to benefits of account registration. This information should be located on the same page as the new user registration form.

Lost password

All login forms should contain an option to reclaim passwords and/or username should they have been forgotten. This information must also be passed securely.

Remember me

You can provide additional convenience (though less security) by giving visitors the option of checking a "remember me" box which will allow them to stay logged in indefinitely.

Privacy

Provide a link to your sites privacy information/policy near the login form submit button or email field. This gives your visitors confidence that you will treat their information with respect.

Status

The visitor's "logged in" status should be displayed at all times with a ready access to logout at their convenience. When additional security is necessary it's a good idea to automatically log them out after a set period of inactivity.

Change info

Once logged in, visitors should have access to change their user information, including usernames, passwords, contact info, payment details, etc.

Change confirmation

Once the visitor has submitted their information to be changed, provide a confirmation screen that shows the old and new info. This prevents errors and helps insure information remains accurate.

Financial details

Provide links to relevant financial information such as transaction history, invoices, balances, payment methods, etc. Provide printable version of this information.

Up-sell opportunities

Visitors that are logged in provide you an interested, captive audience. Consider discreetly utilizing up-sell opportunities - without being overbearing.

Subscribed services

Provide visitors access to the information/services to which they are subscribed. Also provide additional subscription options, if applicable.

Information management

Allow users to change the way they receive information, providing alternate methods such as snail mail, HTML or text based emails or to turning off communication entirely.

When visitors create an account with you they are making a commitment to you to enjoy the services or information that you provide. It's important not to let the usability process break down after visitors are committed. In fact, it's even more important to treat registered visitors respectfully and appropriately, ensuring they have access to the information they need. This develops long-term relationships and keeps them coming back.

I think the biggest mistake many of us make when we set out to build a website to make money is not to think out clearly how we are going to achieve this under our given set of circumstances.

We immediately jump on whatever bad wagon promises the best opportunity and hope to be able to achieve the same results. While hope is always nice it is action that will bring results. This is why it is imperative at the outset for you to figure out what you are prepared to do and how you are going to go about doing it.

For example list your strengths and what you are comfortable doing. Then you are going to look for ways and opportunities that will compliment your strengths.

If I had done this years ago I would have been a lot more successful. What I did instead was jump on the latest greatest opportunity, then when I would get the material I would be disappointed because many of the techniques listed where not in my field of expertise.

For example it would involve me having to cold call people to make sales and this is something I hate to do. So your first objective when setting out to build a website is to build it around a subject that you have some relationship with. Basically something that interests you.

Start out broad and be prepared to be taken down different paths that may yield more positive results in other words do not be too ridged.

Research is critical the more time spent researching the better your chances of success. Visit forums relative to your topics of choice and see what people are looking for - then with this information start to structure your site.

There are many site builders out there that can help. The one I used took care of the hosting and also helped me to market the site. This was very helpful especially starting out.

To conclude figure out what you want to do then be prepared to be adaptable based upon what the market demands. Then build a site that addresses their needs and provides solutions and you will make money.

The term colocation is used in the computer industry to describe the use of a specialist data centre that is run independently and hosts file servers for a number of different companies.

Independent data centres of this type are also called colocation centres, 'colos' for short, or the more descriptive 'carrier hotels'. These data centres are set up by specialist firms with expertise in information technology, to serve the needs of numerous clients. That way, the clients can simply outsource this service to a colocation supplier and let them take care of everything for them. This is much more sensible that trying to do it yourself, for a number of reasons.

Cost is an important consideration. If you were to invest in a state of the art data infrastructure yourself, you would have to spend more than a specialist supplier who could broker wholesale deals for IT services on your behalf which could save you a great deal of money in the long run.

Economies of scale come into play too. A professional colocation supplier will have invested in large, industrial-strength systems which are bigger and more powerful that any individual firm would ever need. This means that you are getting the benefit of a more powerful system, and you can buy in to it for a low relative cost.

Time is another element of the equation. Why re-invent the wheel yourself, when a colocation supplier has data solutions at their fingertips. These would include solutions to your immediate requirements, and also remedies to any future IT problems that you don't even know you have yet!

Access to expertise is a further advantage of using colocation.
You will have the benefit of advice and support from experts in the field who have experience of looking after many different types of requirement across numerous different industries. And this access will usually be arranged on a shift system, so that you can always speak to someone at any time of the day or night on any day of the week, including weekends and public holidays like Christmas and New Year's Day.

In addition to gaining access to IT systems for networks, servers and data storage, colocation firms will also give clients the ability to interconnect with numerous telecommunications suppliers and providers of other network services. Because colocation firms look after many kinds of IT need across a wide range of industrial sectors, they will be able to suggest packages of services after doing a survey of your particular needs and current situation.

And because the colocation firm is an expert in their field, that means that the package they propose for you will have the capability of being adapted as the needs of your business change. Upgrades can be discussed and arranged quickly with people you trust, who know your business. This means that clients can then focus on their core business, without having to divert from what they do best and try and become a mini-expert on IT data systems themselves.