Equestrian Web Technology

Discussions on the use of web and other technologies for the equestrian business.

September 26, 2023

How to Delete WHM Server Backups

Equestrian Web Technology, Hosting Solutions

WHM is a powerful server interface that allows many functions to be automatically process while hosting websites. Yet managing the server can be equally taxing as keeping the sites up to date and running properly. One of the weakness of the the system is that while backups can be created automatically, deleting those backups is not automatic function, despite the backup configuration implied user interface. The problem then is, the hard drive, unless you are using a remote storage, fills the disk, causing other problems. Thus deletion must be done manually.

The simplest way to perform this task is through the terminal option of the server. Here are the setup by step to achieve this goal.

Check File System Disk Space Usage

After logging in to your server, you can now check the disk availability in on your server using the command # df -h

The “df” command displays the information of device name, total blocks, total disk space, used disk space, available disk space and mount points on a file system and the df command provides an option to display sizes in Human Readable formats by using '-h' (prints the results in human-readable format (e.g., 1K 2M 3G)).

After login to the root directory navigate to /backup folder using the command given below

# cd /backup

CHECKING AND REMOVING PAST BACKUPS

Once navigated you can see all the files and folders inside / backup folder using the command # dir

Now you need to navigate to the weekly folder or monthly folder or daily folder, whatever backup configuration you have on your server as in my case it was a weekly folder.

So, now I am going to navigate to quickly folder and after navigating the weekly folder I need to check what all backups I have inside that directory. This is what I have used –

[root@server ~]# df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
devtmpfs 7.8G 0 7.8G 0% /dev

[root@server /]# cd /backup
[root@server backup]# dir
transports.db weekly
[root@server backup]# cd weekly
[root@server weekly]# dir
2020-05-03
[root@server weekly]#

Now it’s totally up to you you want to delete the whole weekly folder or you just want to delete some of the backup files from there.

Deleting WHM backup using rm command

To delete the entire directory use the command # rm -rf directory_name
To delete a single file or single backup use the command # rm -f filename

The Author

CEO & Technical Director of Multimedia Designs, LLC, System Designer, Developer, Producer with 15+ years in the internet design and development space and 25+ years in the Software Development for the entertainment industry. Winner of the prestigious International Themed Entertainment Association award for interactive design. She holds a degree in Computer Engineering & Mathematics from California State University, Long Beach.

February 1, 2021

Facebook vs Instagram for the Equestrian professional

Equestrian Web Technology

Facebook – Instagram
Social media can be a equestrian business gold mine — or a total waste.

Social media is a key component of any equestrian business’ marketing efforts. To get known. To get seen. To find new customers. When done right, a social strategy helps your equine business connect directly with riders and horse buyers. With an added plus of creating a good will among equine industry.

But as with anything on the internet, for all the power and potential of social media, there are pitfalls as well. Namely, where are those clients that YOU want? What social media platform do you find them. Are all social media platforms the same?

Are you looking for a 14-25 year old, who is still in school, starting a career and fighting for an income? Or is the better solution the 30-45 year old established professional?

The equestrian community, in recent days, tends to think that Instagram with it’s highly photo oriented user interface is the way to go. They post sale horses in mass, hoping that one person may want to try the horse for sale. Yet the reality of the demographics, spread across the social media world, the individuals with money, reside in a very different location.

Let’s look at the numbers:

FACEBOOK FACTS

As of October 2020, there are 223.03 million monthly users who use Facebook in the United States. According to Sproutsocial.com, here is the statically breakdown by demographics :

Diagram from Sproutsocial.com

INSTAGRAM FACTS

140 Million user in the United States

According to Statista, 35% of US teens rate Instagram as their favorite social network, second only to Snapchat. In terms of gender, 43% of women use Instagram while 31% of men use it.

Of those 1.2 million users the breakdown of demographics by age include:

75% of 18–24 year olds use Instagram
57% of 25–30 year olds use Instagram
47% of 30–49 year olds use Instagram
23% of 50–64 year olds use Instagram
8% of 65+ year olds use Instagram

Data and Charts by Statista

Data and Charts by Statista

AUDIENCE LEVELS

Combined 223.03 million USA users against 140 million of Instagram USA audience. One has to ask the question of WHY is the equestrian community so into Instagram? Simple: Perception. The User interface of Instagram appeals to a younger younger audience who tends to not read. Instant gratification via pictures. The younger user also fits the use dynamics and aligns with the Instagram Algorithm . Where as Facebook is not about pictures as much it is communication with friends and family. Information, relevancy toward the group.

The real key is the numbers in the market of equine industry and what it’s demographic consists of. Which social media platform, BEST aligns with the type of audience a equestrian business is looking for.

EQUESTRIAN DEMOGRAPHIC

According to The Equine Economy in the 21st Century, Horse owners are divided into 3 types of groups:
Professionals

Professionals
Intense enthusiasts
Recreational/casual
Within these groups, horse owners have the follow characteristic. They are:

“We found that horse owners are more involved in their vocation than just about any other group,” Volk said. “Horse ownership defines them They spend an average of 22 hours a week with their horses. They read equine publications, they use the web, and they are impulse buyers. It is a community. The average horse owner is a married female, age 35-54, with kids between the ages of 12 and 17. They also enjoy country music, hiking and outdoor activities, read lots of publications, and own cats and dogs.” (https://www.eastcoastequestrian.net/news/horse-owner-demographics.php)

Most equestrian business, with the exception of veterinary and tack/feed shops, are going to be looking toward the Professionals and Intense enthusiast. Those are the individuals who are interested in competing, buying new horses, boarding horses and looking for professional training. With that in mind…did you catch the connection between the demongraphics?

DID YOU CATCH IT?

Did you catch the key point and cross reference? The viewer who truly owns the horses and pays the bills? The user who wants, needs and can afford your service? From the demographics

1. Group is age 35-54
2. Married females with children
3. They READ
4. Established income levels.

So which is the best social media platform to get the attention of your desired audience? Is it Facebook or Instagram?

Purely from the demographics. Is that Instagram? NO.

Yes, Instagram can be appealing, just because of the photo-centric user interface. It appeals to those who want to show off their horses or activities. But does that picture or image, drive traffic to your business or website? Do they remember the sale or service? Or is just an interesting artifact of a bias owner/trainer. What does is say to the viewer? Why do they want to look deeper?

Facebook, on the other hand, is about story, community and information. Pictures are definitely part of the package, but are secondary to the communication of community. This fits the lifestyle of the equestrian community, according to the surveyed stats.

FACEBOOK IS THE WINNER

IS SOCIAL MEDIA ENOUGH?

All social media pages needs to be backed up by a fully functional website, dedicated to your equestrian business. Why a website? In short:to facilitate everything you want to present without censorship. Social media is fantastic for getting interest, but it is limited in that information is being controlled by a company that has another agenda, social as well as industry.

Facebook does censor, especially horse sales, when trying to promote a horse that is available for sale. There are legal reasons why they don’t want to be involved with the promotion of any horse for sale. But you can advertise on the platform a general availability of services and horses, driving them to that personalized business website. Facebook makes your service visible to the potential horse owner. That leads them to your website. Your website fill in the details for your potential customers who drives them to your physically based equestrian service.

In short, Facebook is the Platform of choice for the equestrian training and services industry. But it can only get the attention. You website is leading the horse to the water, where you and your site content can “make them drink””.

July 17, 2018

PART 11: I AM A VET, FARRIER, BARN MANAGER. WEBSITES? COME ON, THEY NEED ME!

Equestrian Web Technology

Do they? It is the age old cry of the equestrian industry. You don’t need the internet because you have enough clients through references and people you already work with. Perhaps. But what if you had the luxury option of choosing who you work with, rather than just anyone that comes around? That is were volume of people, who know of you and about your become key.

THE BADGE OF HONOR | NOT COMUTER SAVVY....

Some farriers, trainers, boarding facility and veterinarians announce, like a badge of honor that they aren’t computer savvy. But like it or not, all equestrian business in this day and age are going to be dealing with the Internet and the World Wide Web — even if they never put their fingers on a keyboard or place their palm over a computer mouse. The equestrian business owner (Farriers, Trainers, Boarding Manager and Veterinarians) may pretend the Internet doesn’t exist — but horse owners don’t.

Any problem, from feeding issues, to shoeing, to barn management, the owner of a horse is going to be online, on their phone, before you go back to your office or ride. They are going to look up exactly what you said in order to verify, in a matter of minutes, information that you have spent 20+ years acquiring. If they don’t like your answer, your prices or your thinking, they will find similar business that may give them another option.

The equestrian business owner may pretend the Internet doesn’t exist — but horse owners don’t.

That might not be the worst thing, but as anyone who has looked on the Internet is all too aware, in addition to that information, horse owners also have access to myths, rumors and outright lies — often presented as absolute facts.

Elsbree, an American Farrier’s Association certified journeyman farrier from Greenville, N.Y., says he had his own Internet epiphany while shoeing for a client with a background in scientific research. “She had a horse with a quarter crack,” Elsbree recalls. “She looked up quarter crack on the Internet and I had to listen and respond. Suddenly I realized that horse owners will not “just believe us anymore…they are going to check.”

“Suddenly I realized that horse owners will not “just believe us anymore…they are going to check.”

This new method of prices/solutions and more does work both ways. While the horse owner may be questioning your prices or solutions, they are also questioning others for their answers. The question is…is your business going to be among the possible online solutions they find? Or will your competitors take up the space.

The question is…is your business going to be among the possible online solutions they find?

This is the question every equestrian business owner had to ask themselves. Is the lack of their own internet presence “ok”, with the harsh reality that a horse owner will increasingly be using the web to find their solutions and providers? To compare prices. To find out who is in the area. To question your solutions. To compare your services.

Or is it time to expand your network of possible clients so that you have the luxury of picking and choosing?

OTHER ARTICLES IN THE SERIES

PART 1: DON’T LET THE INTERNET BUCK YOU OFF
PART 2: MOAN, i NEED A WEBSITE! NOW WHAT?
PART 3: GREAT! MY STUDENT OR WIX CAN DO THIS. (OR NOT)
PART 4: BUT I DON’T WANT TO DEAL WITH GEEKS!!
PART 5: BE HONEST, WHAT IS THIS GOING TO COSTS ME?
PART 6: WALK ME THROUGH THIS
PART 7: STRAIGHT DOWN THE CENTER LINE AND HALT. (aka HOW NOT TO GET CHEATED)
PART 8: ENTER THE COMPETITION. LAUNCHING A SUCCESSFUL WEBSITE
PART 9: WEBSITE LAUNCHED! NOW WHAT?
PART 10: EXPLAIN THIS INTERNET THING TO ME … IN ENGLISH
PART 11: I AM A VET, FARRIER, BARN MANAGER. WEBSITES? COME ON, THEY NEED ME!

MultiMedia Designs, LLC
Digital Design & Technology Company
Office: +1.818.272.0819
Email: multimediadesignsllc@gmail.com

HONEST ANSWERS – GREAT PRICES

July 10, 2018

PART 10: EXPLAIN THIS INTERNET THING TO ME … IN ENGLISH

Equestrian Web Technology, Website Programming

The Internet. In it’s simplest explanation is Internet is the biggest world-wide communication network of computers, where each computer can talk to each other making a huge NET. But since you are asking the question, in English, that may not be what you are really looking for. I suspect the real question is, why do I need the internet?

WHY YOU NEED THE INTERNET

In the history of the world, communication was the core of civilization growth. Starting from hand written messages that were transported over wide distances via boat, horseback or walking, the ability to exchange information, as fast as possible has always been the key to business and government management.

You have to be known, be found, be interesting, for a customer / client to exchange money with you for a service or product. In days past, that advertising method was a pamphlet handed out. Or a bill board on the street, as you were driving by. It presented it’s self in magazines and newspapers. When the electronic age began, advertising communication expanded with it, in the form of Radio, where an announcer would tell you about a business in exchange for who was footing the bill for your free entertainment. That expanded to Television, were the communication became more visual and entertaining. The point of all of it, was to be known of. For listeners or viewers to find your business, your product, your service.

All of this communication is called advertising….the key to your success.

The internet is the next step in that evolution of “getting known”. It is also became the great equalizer among business. In the past, the cost of advertising was expensive and exclusive. A sufficient amount of money donated to an entertainment organization provided a focused audience, who was forced to hear the message. Repeat that message enough, your name became the first business to pop into people’s heads when they need or want a product or service. For example:

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU SEE THIS PICTURE?

Based on years and years of exposure, most people are going to recognized that picture as representing this:

That is advertising at it’s best. Immediate association of image to a product. The goal is same. Your business has to get noticed and found, from people that are not in your immediate circle of influence. This is where the internet comes to life.

Unlike Radio and Television, the internet presents information to people based on a interest rather than entertainment qualities or local news agencies. People search for a service or product that they need.

Unlike Radio and Television, the internet presents information to people based on a interest rather than entertainment qualities or local news agencies.

Based exclusively on what they see and what appeals to them, is the difference between an opportunity to sell and them moving on to another product. Or in the case of equestrian business…another trainer, tack store, vet or boarding facility.

THE INTERNET | THE GREAT EQUALIZER

The beauty of the internet, is that you don’t have to be a huge business with massive advertising budgets to be perceived as a prestigious and viable business. All that really matters is how your present your information. Those steps to presenting a great commercial aka Website is for a different article

There you have it, the Internet, In English… Is Advertising. A method to getting known and found, by a world bigger than just your immediate clients.

The Internet, an Advertising method to getting known and found, by a world bigger than just your immediate clients.

How can Multimedia Designs, help you?

OTHER ARTICLES IN THE SERIES

MultiMedia Designs, LLC
Digital Design & Technology Company
Office: +1.818.272.0819
Email: multimediadesignsllc@gmail.com

HONEST ANSWERS – GREAT PRICES

June 17, 2018

PART 9: WEBSITE LAUNCHED! NOW WHAT?

Equestrian Web Technology, Website Programming

Your website is launched! Congratulation, that is a HUGE set toward growing your business beyond, you local neighborhood. The internet is said to be the great equalizer. Small – Medium and local business can not compete with the big boys on equal footing.

So what is next. Like any digital media, it is not worth much unless it is seen by others. If you have done your design right, the site will flow and be easily to understand and use, but a wonderful site is nothing unless the right people get to it. This is where the world of SEO marketing, blogs and google ads kicks in.

No, said to say, just putting a site up does not equal instant money and fame. There is still a massive amount of work to be done.

STEP 1: GET NOTICE BY SEARCH ENGINES

How does one do that, other than to submit a site to the engine to be indexed (each page counted and logged for searching display). It is more, it is aligning your site with parameters that the technology likes, in order to get your site, your business, your service or product, on page number 1.

The inclination of most business owners, is how hard can that be..pick some words and enter them…right? Well not exactly. Each of those “words” has to align with the content on the page and at the same time fill a quality of readability. There is an art to this service. While SEO does not have to be off the charts expensive, it does have to be done by someone who understands the technology and how the search engines work. Picking the right person to do the job is job number 1. Read our blog article on the costs and staffing for SEO.

STEP 2: BLOGS

Blogs are nothing more that modern day magazine articles, but they are a key element in getting your site noticed. There is a saying that to make 20%, you have to give away 80%. This is what blogs do. You give your potential customers free advice and tools, to make their life easier. In the process, you give the search engines something more to catalog and list. The blogs also become a key element in the next step..social media.

STEP 3: SOCIAL MEDIA

Sorry, you can’t escape it! Creating and managing a social media account is also another way to get people to your site. Based on your desired market, is the deciding factor on which social media to invest your time in. According to PEW Research Center, is where the people are…and growing!

“As more Americans have adopted social media, the social media user base has also grown more representative of the broader population. Young adults were among the earliest social media adopters and continue to use these sites at high levels, but usage by older adults has increased in recent years.“

Generally speaking these:
FACEBOOK: 2.7 Billion users, ages 25-60.
INSTAGRAM: 1 Billion Users ages 25-34.
TWITTER: 187 Million users, ages 30-59.
LINKEDIN: 738 Million users, age 46-55
PININTREST: 400+ Million users, age 30-49
TIKTOK: 100 Million users, age 18-24
SNAPCHAT: 265 Million users, age 13-24
YOUTUBE: 2 Billion Users, ages 15-64

Of course there are hundreds more of these social media sites, but those listed above among the top. Advertising on these platforms, is one of the fastest and cheapest way, to get your site notice.

STEP 4: GOOGLE ADS

Everything they say about google is true…they track peoples clicks, links and interests. But that tracking is what works to your advantage. They know what a user is looking for and display ads on sites that have agreed to show your content on their site, when the user is looking at theirs. These 3rd party sites get paid for it, so it is a win win for everyone. For more information about google ads . read their information on the latest of their services. They have specialists that can help you via phone.

If you want even more help with the entire process, Multimedia Designs as the ability to help you fully or just get your started. It is always your call.

THE RESULTS

The name of the game is to get noticed, get seen, be visible and get your product or service, in front of those who already have a natural interest.

Want more help? Give Multimedia Designs a call or email to see how we can get your site launched.

OTHER ARTICLES IN THE SERIES

MultiMedia Designs, LLC
Digital Design & Technology Company
Office: +1.818.272.0819
Email: multimediadesignsllc@gmail.com

HONEST ANSWERS – GREAT PRICES

May 17, 2018

PART 8: ENTER THE COMPETITION. LAUNCHING A SUCCESSFUL WEBSITE

Equestrian Web Technology, Website Programming

ARTICLE IS BEING RE-WRITTEN AND UPDATED FOR 2021

OTHER ARTICLES IN THE SERIES

MultiMedia Designs, LLC
Digital Design & Technology Company
Office: +1.818.272.0819
Email: multimediadesignsllc@gmail.com

April 17, 2018

PART 7: STRAIGHT DOWN THE CENTER LINE AND HALT. (aka HOW NOT TO GET CHEATED)

Equestrian Web Technology, Website Programming

ARTICLE IS BEING RE-WRITTEN AND UPDATED FOR 2021

OTHER ARTICLES IN THE SERIES

MultiMedia Designs, LLC
Digital Design & Technology Company
Office: +1.818.272.0819
Email: multimediadesignsllc@gmail.com

HONEST ANSWERS – GREAT PRICES

March 17, 2018

PART 6: WALK ME THROUGH THIS

Equestrian Web Technology, Website Programming

There are two ways a website can be designed and implement for any business:
1) Take the type and design a web designer/developer likes and apply it to your business. You have no say.

OR

2) An interview process takes place where looks, layouts, colors and styles are presented to you and YOU CHOOSE. It is not about the developers personal likes are dislikes, it about what you like or dislike.

Confused? Don’t be. Option #2 is the only option that you should accept from any desiger/developer. Is it more work…yes. But it also makes sure that you and your developer are 100% on the same page. At Multimedia Designs, option 2 is always the approach. Welcome to the Website Development Life Cycle.

Welcome to the Website Development Life Cycle

Here is how it works.

STEP 1: THE INTERVIEW

You have selected a web developer/designer for your business online present. Super, the next step is going to 100% about you. Here are some questions that any designer should be asking you, before a single design has been created, drawn or presented.

1. What is your favorite color or business colors?
Stupid, not really, that look is going to be your calling card. So what you have on your business cards, adverting and any digital or piece of paper is going to follow this color scheme. You want people to remember and associate a look with YOU.

2. What is the purpose of the site?
Seems obvious, but it may be not. The goal here is to fully explain what your goals are for this investment and what you expect the results to be. There will be some dialogue as to what is hoped for vs what is possible, this the question that you and the developer come to an understanding.

3. Who are you trying to sell to?
Before you say, everyone, let’s see why the who is important. Styles of website and the user interface, can be dramatically different based on age, gender, educational levels. if your audience/buyers is not drawn into the site, mo matter how many fancy techniques and visuals you have, you’ve lost out.

Why so different?

Millennials are a very tech-savvy generation that knows what they like. This is also currently the largest age group, making it likely the audience you’re targeting. When it comes to designing for millennials, this is the perfect opportunity to get creative.

Young professionals don’t mind a sophisticated navigation, provided it’s useful. Full-width layouts and well-designed landing pages are trending, and make for smart choices in this area.

However, your 50+ group, can get lost in the completely of what is not obvious to them. They just don’t get it. Fighting a website is the last thing on their minds. If they have to do that, they quit. Whereas your Millennials, will find that complexity, interesting and intuitive. Simply put, it is just a different brain set.

4. Ask for 3 different layouts
As a part of the interview, indicate that you will require at least 3 different design layouts prior to any programming to start.

5. Ask for a schedule.
Developers who know what they are doing, have a pretty good idea of how long it is going to take them to get a preliminary version of a site done. Usually this is done on a test site, behind a protective wall, until the launch date. Sometimes, they even develop it off line.

6. Require access during the development process.
This is YOUR site. Even as the site is under development, you have a right to see progress. So during the interview, ask how you are going to get access and when.

STEP 2: THE DOMAIN NAME

First things first, you should have a domain name available before any web development or contract is agreed upon. Above all else, YOU must own that domain name. Never ever let a developer own your name. If the worst happens, they then have control of your site, your market name, your online presence. If you own the domain, from a 3rd party registrant (hover.com is excellent), then you can always move the site to someone else in a matter of hours, by pointing the domain to some new hosting. Registering and owning the domain, put you in charge.

Now some developers are really not going to like this. Your domain, is their guarantee. So without that available to them, they may ask for a significant amount of deposit. Be prepared on what you are willing to supply up front and each year.

STEP 3: DESIGNING THE LOOK AND OPERATION

This actually is the phase that is just a picture. From the interview, the developer should provide you with 3 pictures that give your an idea of what you home page and a couple of sub-pages, would look like. From these you can choose the design that works best for your clients and make suggestive tweaks to the design. Be mindful that most designers are creating with your market in mind. If you have a question of why…ask, before the programming begins.

STEP 4: DEVELOPING THE SITE

There is a ton of work that has to be done for developing the site, longer than this article can cover. However the essence is this:

1. From the chosen look, a layout of all the different pages on the site, this is called the wireframe. This shall be reviewed with you, before any coding and artwork begins.

2. Development of graphics and/our modification of supplied photos.

3. Programming and blending of content management system with plugin extensions.

STEP 4: TESTING THE SITE

Essential the process, is the testing of the site. This is usually the most neglected portion of any project, simply because of money constraints. If you have the funding to hire a professional company, with all the different possible of display devices, computer, mobile, tablets..it is the way to go.

If you do not have the funds..the cheap way and weird way to announce your site is…friends, family and past clients. “Find a bug and get $5” or similar motivational methods.

If you do not have the funds..the cheap way….friends, family and past clients. “Find a bug and get $5

Is this the best way…no. But at least you will get an idea about how succesful the design is and what needs to be adjusted before the full release announcement.

STEP 5: YOU ARE NOT DONE YET...SEO, SOCIAL MEDIA PLUS... KICKS IN

Does this never end? You, as a business owner, may begin to wonder. But, even though you have a site, you may have even announced it, to the human world you are out there…to the internet engines, you are not. This is where the implementation of SEO and google kick in. It let’s the internet discover what you have built and places it, among similar pages.

How you get to the top of those search engine results…is for another article.

OTHER ARTICLES IN THE SERIES

MultiMedia Designs, LLC
Digital Design & Technology Company
Office: +1.818.272.0819
Email: multimediadesignsllc@gmail.com

HONEST ANSWERS – GREAT PRICES

Equestrian Web Technology

Check File System Disk Space Usage

CHECKING AND REMOVING PAST BACKUPS

Deleting WHM backup using rm command

The Author

Facebook – InstagramSocial media can be a equestrian business gold mine — or a total waste.

FACEBOOK FACTS

INSTAGRAM FACTS

Data and Charts by Statista

Data and Charts by Statista

AUDIENCE LEVELS

EQUESTRIAN DEMOGRAPHIC

DID YOU CATCH IT?

IS SOCIAL MEDIA ENOUGH?

THE BADGE OF HONOR | NOT COMUTER SAVVY....

WHY YOU NEED THE INTERNET

THE INTERNET | THE GREAT EQUALIZER

STEP 1: GET NOTICE BY SEARCH ENGINES

STEP 2: BLOGS

STEP 3: SOCIAL MEDIA

STEP 4: GOOGLE ADS

THE RESULTS

STEP 1: THE INTERVIEW

STEP 2: THE DOMAIN NAME

STEP 3: DESIGNING THE LOOK AND OPERATION

STEP 4: DEVELOPING THE SITE

STEP 4: TESTING THE SITE

STEP 5: YOU ARE NOT DONE YET...SEO, SOCIAL MEDIA PLUS... KICKS IN

Facebook – Instagram
Social media can be a equestrian business gold mine — or a total waste.