Click-Through Tracker

One of my favorite tools on the list is Click-Through Tracker. Using Click-Through Tracker, you get to check how traffic flows through your site.

To start tracking your site click-thru, you’ll need to first create a tracking URL. In the Add a URL section:

1. Enter the URL you want to track.
2. Enter the name of the link.
3. Click Add URL.
4. Copy and Paste the tracking code in your web page to track the click throughs.

Sample of the tracking code.

Reporting on Click-Through Tracker

In the URLs Being Tracked section:

• Count – Number of clicks to the URL
• Reset – Click on the Reset link if you want to reset the count of the tracking URL
• Remove – Click on the Remove link to delete the tracking URL to remove the tracking code from your web page

Users who are unfamiliar with vDeck are advised to take the startlogic product tour or visit the startlogic vdeck demo login first. For your instant guides, here is how vDeck (in StartLogic) front page looks like this:

Specifications for StartLogic vDeck.

• Platform Type: Debian
• MySQL Version: 5.0.45
• Perl Version: 5.8.8
• PHP Version: 4.4.7
• Path to SendMail: /usr/sbin/sendmail
• Path to Perl: /usr/bin/perl
• Path to PHP: /usr/local/bin/php

Not sure if StartLogic will be upgrading on its vDeck version or not but good news is that vDeck is cooking something new in their R&D department. A sneak preview on what you can do with the new vDeck 3.0:

Web site Management

• iPage site-creation tool
• SiteDelux site-creation tool
• WebSite Creator, powered by CM4all
• FileManager
• FTP Manager
• FrontPage Extensions
• CGI Support
• Enhanced Script Library
• MySQL Management
• Site Backups and Restore
• Gallery 2
• phpBB
• WordPress
• Gbook

E-mail Management

• Manage autoresponders
• More powerful spam and virus protection
• Direct WebMail Access
• iContact e-newsletters
• Constant Contact e-newsletters

Domain Management

• DomainCentral
• Manage subdomains
• Private nameservers

E-commerce Services

• osCommerce
• ShopSite NEW!

Marketing Services

• Search engine optimization services
• Search engine submission services
• Free search engine coupons ($30 or more)
• Pay-per-click advertising NEW!
• E-mail newsletter creation and distribution services
• Logo design services NEW!

Account Management Services

• Online Billing Console
• Online Support Ticketing Syste
• Customizable control panel design layouts

Reseller Account Management Services

• Historical billing records and cost breakdowns for each account.
• Detailed monthly invoices and printable receipts.
• An option for grouped billing and consolidated invoices.
• The ability to brand your client control panel with your logo, colors and fonts.

To learn more, check out vDeck official website.

Nowadays most hosting are dominate by cPanel control interface.

Without doubt cPanel is one of the best control panel we can ever get online but hosting control panel software is not a one-size-fit-all thing. I am sure there are plenty users that are unhappy with cPanel and wish for something different.

Well, if you’re one of those who crave for a different hosting control panel, vDeck/StartLogic is your answer.

Frankly I respect StartLogic’s apprach in being different from the majority and to go with vDeck. IMHO, both vDeck and cPanel are more or less the same and they should be given even attention since both are serving the same industry.

About vDeck?

vDeck is the GUI for hosting server control panel. The system is mainly used for web hosting server management but it can be used as marketing tools and site building tools. For your quick reference, here’re the message I quoted from vDeck official website.

More than just a control panel, vDeck is the next generation in Web site management. With vDeck, creating, managing and promoting your Web site is as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Build Your Site

vDeck is deeply integrated with several easy-to-use site creation tools—choose from hundreds of professional design templates to create your site without any HTML experience.

Available features include:

• Choice of three site-creation tools
• Hundreds of professional design templates
• Design editor
• Content manager
• Graphics editor
• Pre-installed CGI scripts
• Integrated e-commerce solutions

2. Manage Your Site

vDeck makes it easy to manage your Web site, e-mail and domain name from one central location. Take advantage of these vDeck 3.0 features:

• Billing & account management
• Comprehensive FileManager
• MailCentral for easy e-mail management
• Microsoft Exchange Hosting
• DomainCentral for easy domain management
• Install wizards for popular open source applications (such as WordPress)
• Web site statistics programs

3. Promote Your Site

vDeck 3.0 offers access to several marketing services to help you promote your site. Available services include:

• Search engine optimization services
• Search engine submission services
• Free search engine coupons ($30 or more)
• Pay-per-click advertising services
• E-mail newsletter creation and distribution services
• Logo design services

Adding a new e-mail address using vDeck

Take example of adding a new email using vDeck, here’s how you can do it in a few simple steps. First get to mail central from the login front page.

Mail central is where you can control all your email inbox configurations. Do note that there’s a catch-all email in default. To create a new email address, click on the ‘Create Mailbox’ button.

On the pop up page, keyin your desired email address as well as its quota limitation, move on when it’s done.

You’ll be directed back to the Mail Central once your mail box is created. If everything goes right, you should see your new mail box listed on the page. Whenever you feel like editing the mailbox setting or adding/deleting the mail box at your hosting, you can always come back here and click on the ‘edit’ link. It’s simple.

Well then, you have a new email address on your hosting now.

Improved Poll Tool will Replace vzPoll

As part of our ongoing efforts to provide our customers with the most updated tools available, we will be discontinuing vzPoll and providing an upgraded polling tool.

If you are currently using vzPoll, we recommend you upgrade to Poll Taker, as vzPoll will be discontinued as of November 30, 2008. After November 30, you will not be able to access, edit or analyze polls that you are running with vzPoll, however you will be able to manually remove vzPoll polls from your site.

We regret any inconvenience to you if you actively use vzPoll, but believe that providing an upgraded polling tool will be beneficial to all customers.

If you have any questions, please contact StartLogic support at 800-725-8064.

StartLogic signup step-by-step guide

StartLogic offers three major hosting plans – PersonalLogic, ProLogic, and VPSLogic. PersonalLogic is the entry level package; ProLogic is the standard shared hosting plan; and VPSLogic is the virtual server with unique IP address. First, select your desired hosting plan and click “Sign Up”. Generally most customers will go with the ProLogic package as it provides best value.

Moving on, you’ll come to a page where you’ll need to select a domain for your registration. It can be an existing domain that you wish to move over to StartLogic; or you can search for a new unregistered domain name. Registration of the first domain name is free if you’re a new StartLogic customer (so why not take advantage on this and get an extra new domain name).

Next you’ll see the summary of your order along with some other products offer. StartLogic offer private business directory submission, extra site backup tools, as well as private SSL services. Pick whatever that you desired and click “Continue”.

Account details are required on the next two steps of the ordering process. First, you’ll need to keyin your password info, full name for the registration, as well as your contacts. Upon check out, you’ll need to submit your credit card (or PayPal) info in order to complete the payment.

Click “Check Out” to finish. As soon as your payment is done you’ll receive a confirmation email from StartLogic, updating you on your order status as well as login details. There you go, you have now complete your signup with StartLogic.

How soon will my hosting account ready to be used?

While StartLogic claims instant activation on their end, I found that there are roughly 15 – 30 minutes delay on the account activation. Thus my advise is to wait for half and hour after you completed your signup and you should be able to sign in here to your StartLogic vDeck.