#best web hosting reviews | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

hauntedhowlett-writes · 2 years ago

Text

title: in a feud with her neighbor

bonus scenes now available

pairing: pre-outbreak!joel miller x female reader

rating: explicit (18+ MDNI)

word count: 5621

summary:

Five times you think Joel Miller is the worst neighbor ever, and the one time he isn’t.

author’s note: this is so self-indulgent. i hope you guys enjoy it! if you like this work, please consider reblogging or leaving a comment because they make my day 💕

special thanks to the angels who helped with ideas: @dreamingofdaddydin @jksprincess10 @mydailyhyperfixations @funnygirlthatgab

additional warnings/tags: explicit sexual content (18+ minors do not interact), explicit language, no use of y/n, story contains visual graphics, everyone pretend the 12 ft skeleton was available in 2003 and you could stream TV shows, no sarah, no outbreak, neighbor feuds, enemies to lovers, oral (explicit f receiving, non-explicit m receiving), semi-public sex, making out in a pool, reader is a menace and arguably the bad neighbor here, unprotected p in v, use of sex toys, praise kink, pet names, dirty talk. let me know if any are missing!

Joel Miller is the worst neighbor ever.

Your issues with him started on your first Halloween in the neighborhood. You had moved into your new home a few months prior, thrilled that you finally managed to escape the horrors of apartment living. You were now the proud owner of a little single story two bedroom craftsman style home, complete with fenced in backyard and a pool.

You loved your little house and the neighborhood was ideal, quiet but tight knit. The neighbor to your left, an elderly woman named Betty, had invited you over for tea and cookies and given you the lowdown on the neighborhood gossip.

The neighbor to your right, Joel Miller, she said, was a wonderful man. Polite, kind, and not too hard on the eyes either. You hadn’t met him yet, but with a glowing review like that, you couldn’t wait until you did.

She had also mentioned that the neighborhood goes all out for Halloween. They even hosted a contest for the best decorated house. Your mind already raced with the possibilities.

You loved Halloween. In Texas, the stifling heat finally eased around that time, dropping to a slightly more tolerable range in the 80s with cooler nights. You loved seeing all the displays in the stores and how abandoned storefronts would be overtaken by whole companies dedicated to Halloween. You watched all the horror movies you could and on the weekends you’d seek out local fall festivals because you’re a sucker for candy apples and funnel cake.

No one ever decorated at the apartment complex you previously lived in, so you were extra excited to decorate your house and yard. You bought fake tombstones and plastic skeletons for the yard, spider webs and little ghosts to hang in the trees. You carved two pumpkins to set on either side of the steps leading up to your front door and made little ghost statues out of tomato cages, foam balls, and white fabric. You even strung purple lights through your hedges.

You were totally going to win the decorating contest. You were confident that you would.

Until you woke up Halloween morning and Joel Miller had somehow decorated his entire home in the time that you had been sleeping, blissfully unaware.

The man had somehow managed to set up an entire army of skeletons, including a handmade wooden jail stuffed with ones trying to escape. There were some posed on the house itself, climbing up the sides and the roof. He had some coming out of the ground, red spotlights fixed on them for an eerie glow. But perhaps most impressive of all was the twelve foot skeleton with glowing red eyes that was posed near the makeshift jail, holding the door open like it was releasing the trapped undead soldiers.

Joel Miller had the motherfucking twelve foot skeleton. You wanted one of those so bad but it was always sold out. You checked every nearby Home Depot for months trying to find one and here Joel Miller has one, taunting you.

He won the decorating contest, sweeping the victory from right under your feet.

It may seem silly, but that was the moment you decided Joel Miller was the worst neighbor ever.

When you were buying your first home, you had been meticulous in calculating your finances in order to comfortably afford the purchase. You did not, however, account for having to repair your air conditioning system within less than a year of moving in. This made a significant dent in your savings, which led you to cut your expenses elsewhere.

One such expense was your internet. Why? Because it turns out Joel Miller, asshole neighbor, doesn’t password protect his router and you can just use his.

It’s not like he would notice.

_________________

Joel stares at his internet bill in confusion. This is the third month in a row that he’s been charged for going over his data allowance. That doesn’t even make sense. He’s the only person in his house and he only uses the internet on his phone to check the news and sometimes play Candy Crush. It’s why he got the lowest data plan in the first place.

He tries to think of what he could be doing differently, but comes up short. Hell, he’s not even home most of the day. He works long hours at different contracting jobs, so his free time is spent watching TV (cable, not connected to the internet), and sleeping.

But then it hits him. The overage charges never happened until you moved in.

Joel powers up his ancient laptop and has to Google search what a router is. Turns out, he doesn’t have a password set on his. Which means, if his hunch is correct, you’ve just had free access to his internet this whole time.

He learns how to set a password and, more importantly, he learns how to change the name of his router.

He needs to send a message, after all.

_________________

You’re about to start another episode of Grey’s Anatomy, courtesy of your friend generously sharing her Netflix password, when you receive an error message.

No internet connectivity. Try again?

The little WiFi connection icon is missing from your toolbar. You investigate further, opening the list of options and scanning them for Joel’s, conveniently titled Miller.

But instead you find a new name.

GetYourOwnWiFi. And it’s password protected.

“Son of a bitch,” you hiss.

Joel Miller’s tree is always dropping debris in your yard. The limbs have grown over your shared fence line and on windy days you have to deal with extra pool clean up on top of the usual mess it makes of your yard, twigs and leaves ruining your perfectly manicured backyard oasis.

You’ve asked him to trim the branches. Left him notes on his door and in his mailbox, but he still hasn’t done it.

Today you’re sending a new kind of message.

He’s going to wish he’d listened when you asked nicely.

_________________

“What the fuck,” Joel growls when he gets home just after sunset. There’s piles of leaves and twigs littering his front porch, almost to the point that he can’t see the concrete slab beneath.

There’s no way this just happened through the force of nature. It’s been a perfectly clear day in Austin and besides, there’s no trees at the front of his house for this kind of mess to fall from.

Which can only mean…

His eyes spot the bright pink Post-It note stuck to his door and he curses under his breath as he stomps up the porch steps and rips it down.

Here. Clean your own mess up for once.

xoxo

Joel crumbles the note in his fist, taking deep breaths as he heads for the garage to grab a broom and a trash bag.

He’ll get you back.

He always does.

You love animals, especially cats. Unfortunately, being allergic, you don’t have the option to have one of your own all the time.

When you spot the first neighborhood stray, your heart lights up with excitement. It’s a little black and white cat with bright green eyes that walks right up to you while you’re getting your mail, winding its lithe body between your legs and purring against you. You stoop to pet it, mentally reminding yourself to wash your hands before you touch your face, otherwise your eyes would be itchy for hours.

“Hello, little baby,” you murmur, rubbing a hand down the length of its back. “How are you?” The cat gives a strong meow in response. “Oh, are you hungry? Let’s go see if I have anything I can give you as a treat.”

Back inside your house, you locate a can of tuna and dump it into a small plastic bowl. The cat sits patiently on the porch, tail flicking in anticipation. It hops down and shoves its little face into the bowl as soon as it’s within reach.

“So cute,” you say, giving it one last pat on its back before returning inside.

_________________

There’s a cat sitting on Joel’s porch, watching him as he parks his truck. It’s the second time this week there’s been a cat lurking around his property. The first one he found out in the backyard, tearing up his flower beds.

The neighborhood had never had an issue with cats before, so he has a sneaking suspicion that you’re, once again, the root cause of his suffering.

His suspicions are confirmed when he sees you on the porch one day, laying out a row of plastic bowls filled with what he assumes is cat food. At first he’s annoyed that he’s right, it is you feeding the cats, which is why they’ve been terrorizing his yard, but then you turn around and he’s struck by how utterly gorgeous you are.

This is the first time Joel’s ever actually seen you. He’s usually out of the house before dawn and back after sunset, which must not coincide with your schedule since you’ve never run into each other. He remembers Betty, the older woman who lives to your left, telling him about meeting you.

“Gorgeous girl, that one. You two would probably hit it off,” she said as he hung a picture frame for her.

“Don’t go playin’ matchmaker, Betty,” he replied.

But damn, seeing you now in a pair of little shorts that hug your hips and ass just right and a tight white t-shirt that shows off the tiniest bit of skin above the waist of your shorts is making him think he should have taken Betty up on her word.

Joel’s so distracted that he almost misses the way the cat on his porch hits one of his planters with his paw, knocking the ceramic over and spilling dirt all over the ground.

“Fuck!”

_________________

There’s a note on your door the next morning, a torn piece of paper with a familiar scrawl of messy handwriting that could only belong to one person.

Stop feeding the cats or you owe me new plants.

-Joel

The note actually makes you giggle. Betty sees you on your porch and beckons you over to hers.

“What’s got you gigglin’ like a schoolgirl?” The older woman asks.

“What? Nothing,” you reply too quickly.

“Wouldn’t happen to be a note from a certain tall, strong, and handsome young neighbor of yours?”

“No, definitely not.”

She smirks at you. “You better quit terrorizin’ that poor man, honey.”

“Now, Betty, where would the fun be in that?” You say brightly as you head back to your house, the sound of her laughter following you through the door.

There’s a package on Joel’s porch when he gets home from work. He doesn’t remember ordering anything, but he wouldn’t put it past himself.

He brings it inside without thinking twice or checking the label, chucking it on the counter with the rest of his mail as he searches for a box cutter in his junk drawer.

Joel cuts through the packing tape, lifting the flaps and rifling through the packing paper to pull out the contents.

It’s another box, light pink with the image of a hot pink u-shaped device on the top. The text across the top reads REMOTE VIBRATOR in black script.

He nearly drops the box in surprise, fumbling it in his hands. He’s certain he didn’t order this.

Joel pulls the shipping box back towards him, keeping an eye on the vibrator like it might grow legs and run away. He flips the lid over to inspect the shipping label, his eyebrows rising as he reads your name and home address instead of his.

He looks at the toy again, mind whirling with images of you on your back, remote in hand as you bring yourself pleasure. He coughs, clearing his head and adjusts himself in his jeans.

He searches the junk drawer for a sheet of paper and a pen.

_________________

You’re staring at the delivery confirmation email from Lovelies, panic creeping down your spine. It says that your new toy has been delivered but there’s no package in your mailbox or on your porch. You’ve checked everywhere.

Which means it was either delivered to one of your neighbors or someone stole it.

If you’re being honest, you’d rather someone stole it than to have to go knock on Betty or, god forbid, Joel’s door to ask if they accidentally received your sex toy delivery. Your cheeks heat at even the thought of Joel knowing what you ordered. You head back inside empty handed.

Later, when you open your door to feed the cats, you’re surprised to find a box on your welcome mat. You set the bowls of food down and carry it inside, your excitement mounting.

But when you open the box, you’re mortified to find a torn piece of paper on top of the packing material, Joel Miller’s familiar handwriting on the sheet.

Interesting choice

-Joel

“Fucking asshole,” you mumble, crumbling the note and tossing it to the side. You pull your new toy from its box and turn it on. “Huh. Fully charged.”

Your jerk of a neighbor won’t ruin your night if this little gadget has anything to say about it.

It’s Joel’s one day to sleep in and you’ve been blasting your music all fucking morning. He’s already got his head shoved under his pillow but the sound still filters through, ruining his chances of any extra hours of sleep to make up for his lack of it during the week.

He rolls out of bed with a heavy sigh, scrubbing a hand across his beard. He heads downstairs to make coffee, the heavy beat of your music chasing him through the house. He can feel the beginnings of a headache pulsing behind his eyes.

Joel tries to tune it out. Really. He does. As much as the two of you butt heads, he doesn’t mean anything by it, not really. He doesn’t want to be an asshole, nor is he trying to be one.

But if you don’t turn your music down soon he’s going to lose his fucking mind.

He gives you another hour. He’s feeling generous. But when the music just keeps playing, he finally snaps.

Joel shoves his feet into the work boots beside the door, paying little mind to the fact that he’s not wearing socks. In fact, he’s still in his sleep pants and ratty old t-shirt but he’s too far gone to care.

Once he’s in front of your door, he bangs on the wood with his fists. He waits for a response and when he doesn’t get one, probably since you can’t fucking hear him, he bangs again. There’s movement from the corner of his eye and he turns his head to find Betty watching him, lips tilted in a smirk.

“You okay with this?” Joel asks, gesturing vaguely to your house to indicate the noise level inside.

“Don’t be such a party pooper,” she replies before shuffling inside. He turns back to the door to pummel it with his fists again but he’s surprised to find it open.

“Howdy, neighbor,” you say, eyebrow raised and arms crossed beneath your breasts.

Which were currently covered by the tiniest bikini top he’s ever seen. His eyes trail lower, over the expanse of your stomach to the matching bikini bottoms that peek out past the folded waist of your denim shorts.

“Uh,” he says, followed by a strained cough. “Hi.”

_________________

Joel Miller is standing on your porch dressed in a threadbare t-shirt and gray pajama bottoms that sit low on his hips, a strip of soft tan belly peeking out from above the waistband when he stretches an arm up to run his fingers through his dark, messy curls.

Christ, you think. The man is prettier than Betty gave him credit for.

“Can I help you?” You ask. His eyes snap from where they’d been lingering on your chest and you straighten your back just the slightest bit at the knowledge he’d been checking you out.

Joel clears his throat. “Your music is way too loud.”

You roll your eyes. “Does it hurt?”

“Does…what hurt?”

“Always having a stick up your ass.”

Betty barks a laugh from her porch and Joel’s head turns so fast you have whiplash just watching him. He throws his hands up.

“Who’s side are you on, Betty?!” He shouts.

You’re bent over, laughing so hard your stomach hurts and tears form at the corners of your eyes. When you finally catch your breath and return your attention to Joel, he’s got his hands on his hips and an impressive furrow between his brows.

“Listen, maybe we got off on the wrong foot. I’m about to go out by the pool and have a drink. Wanna join?” You ask.

“I don’t have my suit with me.”

“Well good thing you’re just right next door, huh? Go get it. I’ll leave the door unlocked,” you tell him before shutting the door in his face.

_________________

Joel returns to your house thirty minutes later, showered and wearing his swim trunks and a new t-shirt. He wipes his sweaty hands against his chest, not entirely sure why he’s nervous. He’s just having a drink with his annoying neighbor to hash out all the issues. No big deal.

Your music is still playing when he enters your house, giving the door a courtesy knock before letting himself in. The front door opens directly into the main living space, a large sectional couch facing a TV mounted between two windows to his right and a dining nook to his left. Your kitchen is nestled in the corner, just past an opening to a hallway that he assumes leads to the bedrooms. Your place is bursting with colors and textures and patterns, from the floral blanket draped over your velvet couch to the leaf patterned wallpaper and natural stone backsplash in your kitchen. You have tea towels hanging from your stove that say “ANOTHER ONE BITES THE CRUST” with a picture of a pizza, and an impressive looking bar cart that houses a variety of liquor bottles and glassware.

There’s a splash from outside and Joel sees that the sliding glass door to your patio is open. He steps onto the concrete deck, surveying the backyard oasis you’ve created for yourself. The pool is on the smaller side but still, it’s a pool, and Joel’s a little jealous of it. You’ve got chaise loungers lined near the edge and matching chairs that surround a little fire pit further out in the yard. There’s string lights hung from the shade canopy that extends from your house.

You pop up from beneath the surface, your hair slicked back from your face and little droplets of water clinging to your skin. Joel stands there, unsure of what to do, until you swim to the ledge closest to him and drape your arms over it, regarding him with keen eyes.

“Hi,” you say. He swallows, the nerves returning as he tries desperately to not let his gaze fall below your neck.

“Hey,” he replies.

“There’s beer in the cooler. Grab me one?” You ask before ducking back beneath the surface. He can see you swim towards the edge of the pool that the loungers face. He grabs two beers as instructed, popping the tops with the bottle opener fixed to the lid of the cooler. You break the surface once more, swimming over to where he sits on the end of one loungers.

Joel passes you the beer and you tip it towards him in thanks before taking a deep pull, your lips wrapped around the lip of the bottle and distracting him monumentally.

“So, you’re the Joel Miller, huh?” You ask. “Tell me about yourself.”

The two of you talk for what feels like ages. He learns that you’re a software engineer and you work a typical 9-5 schedule, which is why he’s never caught you around the neighborhood before. You don’t like to be outdoors much, preferring reading and catching up on your Netflix shows. You have two brothers, both of whom are older than you and live on the opposite side of the country, but you visit them around Christmas. You love animals, but have major allergies so you settle for fleeting moments with the neighborhood strays and occasionally watching your best friend’s dog when she goes out of town.

He tells you about his work as a contractor, which he’s been doing since he was fresh out of high school and had no idea what to do with his life. He talks about his brother Tommy, how they work together on most projects and they want to start their own contracting business, but that’s a dream for another day. He mentions he’s more of a dog person than a cat person, especially because he has a grudge against the orange neighborhood cat that is still tearing up his flowerbeds.

Joel loves the way you laugh, bright and full bodied as you toss your head back and bring a hand to your chest each time. You talk with your hands a lot, which is funny because you keep letting go of the pool ledge and scrambling to grab it again when gravity pulls you down in the water. If he doesn’t give enough detail in an answer, you’re not shy about asking him for more information, like when he said his favorite color was blue.

“Okay, but what shade of blue?” You asked.

“Just…blue?” Joel asked, clearly not understanding your question.

You rolled your eyes. “Men. I like lavender. Not just purple. Purple is a range of shades.”

“I guess…navy?”

“Now you’re getting somewhere, big guy!”

The conversation lulls as you share your drinks in companionable silence. The Texas sun bears down on his back, his t-shirt sticking uncomfortably to his sweat slick skin. He bites the bullet and reaches behind his head to tug the damp fabric off, leaving him in just his swim trunks. He doesn’t miss the appreciative once-over you give him.

You extend a hand to him. “Help me out?””

Joel grasps your hand in his, marveling for a moment how small it is in his broad palm. He’s distracted enough that he doesn’t notice the michievous look on your face, or the way you plant your feet to the pool wall for leverage.

You give a sharp tug with both hands and he goes toppling into the pool with a surprised shout.

_________________

You’re laughing so hard you can barely catch your breath. The look on Joel’s face as you tugged him into the pool will be burned into your memory for years to come. You’d been waiting all afternoon for the man to take his shirt off, not only because you were admittedly dying to see what was hiding beneath the fabric, but also because you wanted exact a little neighborly revenge for stomping over to your house to tell you your music was too loud.

You’re feeling mighty accomplished, right up until you feel a hand wrap around your ankle and you get pulled beneath the surface with no warning.

You open your eyes, chlorine stinging them as you see Joel torpedo towards the shallow end of the pool. You give chase, breaking the surface with a gasp.

“You asshole–”

Joel cuts you off by wrapping an arm around your waist, tugging you close and tipping his head down to capture your lips with his. He kisses like a man starved and he tastes like sunshine and chlorine and the beer he’d been drinking as his tongue slides hungrily against yours. He uses his arm to press your body to his, but it’s not close enough.

You wrap your arms around his neck and lift your legs to circle his waist, your center grinding against his rapidly hardening length. Joel trails his hands up and down your back, stopping to grab rough handfuls of your ass as he groans against your mouth.

“Fuck,” he curses. “This little fuckin’ bikini has been torturin’ me all day.”

“Why don’t you just take it off then?” You offer. He pulls back to watch your face as his fingers find the strings of your bottoms beneath the water, giving both sides a quick tug until you feel the material fall away. His hand creeps up your back, pulling at the strings holding your top together around your back and neck until they, too, fall away.

Joel walks the two of you forward until your back collides with the rough stone of the pool wall. He presses a muscular thigh between your legs, boxing you in with his body. Your hips jerk at the sudden pressure and friction against your bare pussy, a moan slipping from your lips as Joel presses kisses to your jaw and neck, nipping the delicate skin with his teeth.

“You gotta be quiet, sweetheart,” he murmurs against your skin, the deep timbre of his voice making a shiver dance down your spine despite the Texas heat. “Those sounds are just for me, isn’t that right?”

You nod your head quickly and he rewards you with another toe curling kiss. Your hips rock against his thigh and he swallows every little whimper as his hands explore your body.

“Joel,” you whine. His fingers pinch and pull your nipples before he soothes them with sweet circles of his calloused thumb.

“What’s the matter, baby?” He asks. One of his hands slides across your thigh and your breath hitches as he brings it dangerously close to your pussy before trailing it back down. “You need somethin’?”

“Need you to touch me.”

“That right? You want me to take care of that pretty little pussy?”

“Mhm,” you hum. “Please.”

“So polite. Where’s all that attitude from earlier, hm?” Joel asks, sarcasm dripping from every word. You narrow your eyes at him.

“I can be rude, Miller. You want that instead?”

“Trust me, I know, but I think I like you better when you’re beggin’ for me,” he replies with a grin.

Joel’s hands grab onto your waist and he hoists you up onto the ledge. His broad shoulders press against the back of your thighs and his arms drape across your hips. He smiles at you, mouth tauntingly close to where you’re desperate for relief. You lean back on your elbows, the concrete warm against your bare skin and the sun washing over you.

“How about you show me those nice manners one more time?” He asks.

You grit your teeth. “Joel, I swear to god I will go inside and lock you out–”

Your threats are cut off by your startled moan as he licks through your folds, broad swipes of his tongue from your fluttering entrance to your aching clit. His sweet brown eyes are sinful as he looks up at you from between your thighs, devouring your pussy like his last meal. His nose rubs against your clit each time his tongue dips inside of you and you’re quickly reduced to a writhing mess.

You shift your weight to one arm and reach down with the other to tangle your fingers into his hair. He moans appreciatively against your cunt, the vibrations making you keen. When your hips start to fight against his hold, his lips wrap around your clit, sucking and rolling it with his tongue.

“Fuck, fuck, just like that,” you babble, trying to keep your voice down as you balance right on the edge of your orgasm. He hums again, tongue swirling over your clit until that final thread snaps and you free fall into oblivion, fingers curling tightly against his scalp and making him groan as he works you through your release.

Your limbs go boneless in the aftermath and you collapse against the ground, an arm over your eyes to block out the sun. You hear the sound of water sloshing before Joel lays beside you on his back, arms beneath his head. He turns to look at you, his bright smile making your heart flutter in your chest.

And when he extends an arm out for you to snuggle up against him, you can’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, Joel Miller isn’t such a bad neighbor after all.

“What do you mean you thought I was the asshole?!” Joel asks indignantly as he leaves your bathroom. He’s got a towel held up around his waist and you’re finding it hard to concentrate on his words at this exact moment.

You’ve just finished showering together after your outdoor activities, where you returned his poolside favor with some attention of your own. Now, you’re laying on the bed in your own towel, tired from the sun and the sex.

You’ve also just admitted that you thought he was the worst neighbor. An asshole even. And now he’s looking at you like you’re insane.

“You stole my internet!” He exclaims.

“You can’t prove that,” you reply, maybe a bit too quickly. He raises an eyebrow at you, but you refuse to back down.

“Fine, but you put all those twigs and shit on my porch.”

“They were from your tree, I was simply…returning your property.”

“And the cats?” He crosses his arms. “Because of you, my flowerbeds look like shit and I’ve lost two planters.”

“Not my fault they can sense you’re the weak link. They’re asserting their dominance. Hiss at them or something,” you say with a shrug.

Joel gapes at you. “You can’t be serious.”

“Look, it’s water under the bridge now, right? What can I do to make it up to you?”

He’s silent for a moment before a mischievous grin spreads across his face.

“Where’s that toy you bought, sweetheart?”

_________________

Joel’s got you on your back, your wireless vibrator placed snugly inside of your and against your clit. You’re glaring at him because he’s stopped you from another orgasm. He’s quickly becoming obsessed with that fire in your eyes and the curl of your lip when you’re mad at him.

He presses a trail of kisses from your ankle to the inside of your thighs, nipping the sensitive skin close to your pussy just to hear you gasp. He continues across your abdomen and your breasts, stopping to lavish attention to each sensitive nipple, your back arching against him for more.

“Joel,” you whine, squirming beneath him. He stretches up to capture your lips in a kiss, your lips dragging across his in the most addicting way. His cock slides against the smooth skin of your hip, making him groan. With a flick of his thumb, he turns the toy back on. “Oh, fuck!”

“Want you to come for me this time, baby,” Joel tells you. “Then I want you to come all over my cock, okay?”

You nod, back bowing and muscles straining as your writhe against the vibrations. Joel sits back on his heels to watch you, the way your mouth is dropped open in a silent shout and how your eyes find his at the exact moment you start to come undone.

“Oh my god,” you pant as Joel swiftly removes the toy, the pink silicone shiny with your release. He tosses it to the side and presses his cock to your fluttering hole, sinking inside of you with a deep groan. Your walls are still clenching with the aftershocks of your orgasm as he begins to thrust, slow and deep.

“Fuck, baby, you feel so fuckin’ good,” he growls. He uses a hand to press one of your knees closer to your chest, his fingers wrapped tightly beneath your knee.

The change in angle gets him deeper and his pace grows faster in response to your moans. He can feel you start to pulse around him, each drag of his cock out of your cunt getting harder as your walls squeeze, desperately trying to keep him inside.

“Touch yourself,” Joel commands. “Wanna see you come for me again, pretty girl, come on.”

Your fingers find your clit, swirling through the mess of slick coating your folds. Your eyes are glued to him as you work yourself to the same rhythm of his thrusts. He knows you’re close when your eyes start to flutter, your head dropping back against the mattress and your thighs going tight against his hips.

“That’s it, good fuckin’ girl, just like that,” he growls as you come with a shout of his name. “Christ, you look so damn good.”

You blink at him, your eyes hazy and your smile languid as he chases his own release, using your sensitive cunt for his pleasure. When it gets to be too much, too close, he withdraws, fisting his cock with rough strokes until he comes in thick splashes against your belly.

He collapses on the bed beside you, both of your chests heaving with deep breaths. After a moment, he uses one of the towels to wipe you clean, tossing it to the floor. You glare at him.

“You better put that in the hamper later,” you admonish. He pulls you into his side.

“So, why exactly did you think I was an asshole neighbor?” He asks. To his surprise, you blush, mumbling something he can’t make out. “What?”

“I said because you beat me at the Halloween decorating contest.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes. You have the twelve foot skeleton and I’m jealous.”

“I’ll get you as many skeletons as you want,” Joel laughs. You smile at him.

“Sounds good to me, big guy.”

_________________

The following Halloween, there are two twelve foot skeletons in the neighborhood, and they live right next door to each other.

Joel Miller taglist:

@huffle-punk @johnwatsn @hopelessromantic727 @whereasport @pedr0swh0r3 @yellingloudly @dragon-of-winterfelll @thedeadsingwithdirtintheirmouths @mydailyhyperfixations @liati2000 @ghostofjoharvelle @cutesyscreenname @morgaussy @letsgroovetonighttt @endlessthxxghts @fake-bleach @brilliantopposite187 @mattmurdock1021 @str84pedro @justsomeoneovertherainbow @loquaciousferret @milly-louise @not-a-unique-snowflake-blog @kirsteng42 @caatheeriinee07 @eternallyvenus @midnightswithdearkatytspb @evyiione @leeeesahhh @tloubarbie @afterglowsb-tch13 @loveliestofthoughts @theviewfromtheritz @brittmb115 @uncassettodiricordi @pedritosgfreal @adriennemichelle98 @mxtokko @gingersince97 @switchbladedreamz @casa-boiardi @tonysterco @rvjaa @ladymunson @sexpoisoned @trisaratops-mcgee @decemberdolly @spookyemorockbabe @reader-without-a-story @katmoonz @simping-soldat @mswarriorbabe80 @orphanbird95 @shatteredbaby @tusk89 @gingersince97 @mssbridgerton @internetobsessed1234-blog @sloanexx @manazo @bigboiseason123 @bean-is-reading @darlingpedro @silkiers @pascals-cat @bbyanarchist @therealcap @pedrosgrogu @dreamingofdaddydin

Want more Joel Miller? Check out my masterlist.

#joel miller #joel miller x reader #joel miller fic #joel miller smut #joel miller x female reader #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller x you #no use of y/n #joel tlou #joel x reader #pre outbreak!joel #enemies to lovers #hot neighbor

1K notes · View notes

screentones-webcomicresources · 6 months ago

Text

There are many web hosting companies to choose from if you're taking the plunge into making your own website with a comic content management system (CMS) like ComicControl or Grawlix, a Wordpress comic theme like Toocheke or ComicPress, or a HTML template to cut/paste code like Rarebit. While these solutions are generally free, finding a home for them is... generally not. It can be hard to choose what's best for your webcomic AND your budget!

We took a look at a few of the top hosting services used by webcomics creators using webcomic CMSes, and we put out a poll to ask your feedback about your hosts!

This post may be updated as time goes on as new services enter the hosting arena, or other important updates come to light.

Questions:

💻 I can get a free account with Wix/Squarespace/Carrd, could I just use those for my comic? - Web hosts like this may have gallery functions that could be adapted to display a series of pages, but they are very basic and not intended for webcomics.

📚 Wait, I host on Webtoon, Tapas, Comic Fury, or some other comic website, why are they not here? - Those are comic platforms! We'll get into those in a future post!

🕵️‍♀️Why does it say "shared hosting"? Who am I sharing with? - "Shared hosting" refers to sharing the server space with other customers. They will not have access to your files or anything, so it is perfectly fine to use for most comic CMSes. You may experience slowing if there is too much activity on a server, so if you're planning to host large files or more than 10 comics, you may want to upgrade to a more robust plan in the future.

Web Host List

Neocities

Basic plan pricing: Free or $5/month. Free plan has more restrictions (1 GB space, no custom domain, and slower bandwidth, among other things)

Notes: Neocities does not have database support for paid or free accounts, and most comic CMS solutions require this (ComicCtrl, Grawlix, Wordpress). You will need to work with HTML/CSS files directly to make a website and post each page.

Hostinger

Basic plan pricing: $11.99/month or $7.99/month with four year commitment (monthly, 1, 2, and 4 year plans available).

Notes: Free domain for the 1st year. Free SSL Certifications. Weekly backups.

KnownHost

Basic plan pricing: $8.95/month or $7.99/month with four year commitment (monthly, 1, 2, and 4 year plans available).

Notes: Free DDOS protection. Free SSL Certifications.

InMotion Hosting

Basic plan pricing: $12.99/month or $9.99/month with three year commitment (monthly, 1, and 3 year plans available).

Notes: Free SSL Certifications, free domain names for 1 and 3 year plans. 24/7 live customer service and 90-day money-back guarantee. Inmotion also advertises eco-friendly policies: We are the first-ever Green Data Center in Los Angeles. We cut cooling costs by nearly 70 percent and reduce our carbon output by more than 2,000 tons per year.

Reviews:

👍“I can't remember it ever going down.”

👍“InMotion has a pretty extensive library full of various guides on setting up and managing websites, servers, domains, etc. Customer service is also fairly quick on responding to inquiries.” 👎“I wish it was a bit faster with loading pages.”

Ionos Hosting

Basic plan pricing: $8/month or $6/month with three year commitment (monthly, 1, 2 and 3 year plans available).

Notes: Free domain for the first year, free SSL Certification, Daily backup and recovery is included. Site Scan and Repair is free for the first 30 days and then is $6/month.

Reviews:

👍“Very fast and simple” 👎“Customer service is mediocre and I can't upload large files”

Bluehost

Basic plan pricing: $15.99/month or $4.95/month with three year commitment (monthly, 1, 3 year plans available).

Notes: Free domain and SSL certificates (for first year only). 24/7 Customer Service. Built to handle higher traffic websites. Although they specialize in Wordpress websites and provide updates automatically, that's almost a bad thing for webcomic plugins because they will often break your site. Their cloud hosting services are currently in early access with not much additional information available.

Reviews:

👎"The fees keep going up. Like I could drop $100 to cover a whole year, but now I'm paying nearly $100 for just three months. It's really upsetting."

👎"I have previously used Bluehost’s Wordpress hosting service and have had negative experiences with the service, so please consider with a grain of salt. I can confirm at least that their 24/7 customer service was great, although needed FAR too often."

Dreamhost

Basic plan pricing: $7.99/month or $5.99/month with three year commitment (monthly, 1, 3 year plans available).

Notes: Free SSL Certificates, 24/7 support with all plans, 97-day moneyback guarantee. Not recommended for ComicCtrl CMS

Reviews:

👍“They've automatically patched 2 security holes I created/allowed by mistake.” 👍“Prices are very reasonable” 👎 “back end kind of annoying to use” 👎 “wordpress has some issues” 👎 “it's not as customizable as some might want“

GoDaddy

Basic plan pricing: $11.99/month or $9.99/month with three year commitment (monthly, 1, 2, and 3 year plans available).

Notes: Free 24/7 Customer service with all plans, Free SSL Certificates for 1 year, free domain and site migration.

Reviews:

👍Reasonable intro prices for their Economy hosting, which has 25GB of storage 👍Migrated email hosting service from cPanel to Microsoft Office, which has greater support but may not be useful for most webcomic creators. 👎 Many site issues and then being upsold during customer service attempts. 👎 Server quality found lacking in reviews 👎 Marketing scandals in the past with a reputation for making ads in poor taste. Have been attempting to clean up that image in recent years. 👎 “GoDaddy is the McDonald's of web hosting. Maybe the Wal-Mart of hosting would be better. If your website was an object you would need a shelf to put it on. You go to Wal-Mart and buy a shelf. It's not great. It's not fancy. It can only hold that one thing. And if we're being honest - if the shelf broke and your website died it wouldn't be the end of the world.The issue comes when you don't realize GoDaddy is the Wal-Mart of hosting. You go and try to do things you could do with a quality shelf. Like, move it. Or add more things to it.” MyWorkAccountThisIs on Reddit*

Things to consider for any host:

💸 Introductory/promotional pricing - Many hosting companies offer free or inexpensive deals to get you in the door, and then raise the cost for these features after the first year or when you renew. The prices in this post are the base prices that you can expect to pay after the promotional prices end, but may get outdated, so you are encouraged to do your own research as well.

💻 Wordpress hosting - Many of the companies below will have a separate offering for Wordpress-optimized hosting that will keep you updated with the latest Wordpress releases. This is usually not necessary for webcomic creators, and can be the source of many site-breaking headaches when comic plugins have not caught up to the latest Wordpress releases.

Any basic hosting plan on this list will be fine with Wordpress, but expect to stop or revert Wordpress versions if you go with this as your CMS.

🤝 You don't have to go it alone - While free hosts may be more limited, paid hosting on a web server will generally allow you to create different subdomains, or attach additional purchased domains to any folders you make. If you have other comic-making friends you know and trust, you can share your server space and split the cost!

Want to share your experience?

Feel free to contribute your hosting pros, cons, and quirks on our survey! We will be updating our list periodically with your feedback!

#masterlist #webcomic hosting #webhosts

128 notes · View notes

stochastique-blog · 8 months ago

Photo

Im Human

Webs Hosting Review has helped many clients, who were confused in choosing the right web hosting services. You can also find the better web hosting services from one platform.

https://goo.gl/8hH1fu

#top web hosting services #best web hosting service providers #Web hosting reviews #web hosting coupons #web hosting comparison

1 note · View note

realdirtfacts · 1 year ago

Text

Selling your merch and shipping from home with Fourthwall

I've been selling @shiftythrifting Junk Boxes - our curated secondhand mystery boxes - since 2017 using different platforms with different levels of success. I moved to Fourthwall in 2022 and my teeny tiny business has only grown since then! FW is free to use and you get ALL the money from your home sales save for the credit card processing fees. I don't miss the fee structure from our previous hosts, so I thought I'd write up a little guide on how easy it is to get started.

Things you need to start shipping from home:

A scale, and it doesn't need to be an expensive or large one! Even a kitchen scale works for small stuff.

Packaging and packing materials for the product(s) you're selling.

Access to a post office and/or a printer.

Funds set aside for postage. You'll get this money back with your Fourthwall payout when the month rolls over.

(Optional but handy) A ShipStation account.

Make yourself a store if you haven't already. You can sell print on demand, digital stuff, and your own inventory in one place but today we're talking about selling from home, so add a product and pick the middle option.

You can customize everything about your product on this page, from adding size and color variations, the materials used to make it, size charts, inventory, and more. Get an accurate weight of what you're selling in its packaging and add that here. Hit save and you have your first listing. Gonna be selling a variety of products? You can duplicate the listing with the meatball menu! Change the name, photos, and anything else that needs changing and have your second listing up in a couple minutes.

Didi protip: I like to put people's reviews right in the listing. Lots of photos help sell your product, but there's nothing like a positive review from fans!

Fourthwall's Collections feature lets me put my Junk Boxes in their own little section where I can set them to hidden or mark them sold out if I get sick or am on vacation. This lets me easily turn the self-fulfilled part of my store off while folks can still purchase print on demand and digital stuff and sign up for memberships.

Didi protip: If you are in the US, the US postal service will pick up your outgoing packages free of charge on any regular mail day. Just set up a pickup on USPS.com!

When you've made your first sale, you can either make the label yourself or connect directly to ShipStation through Fourthwall's app integration. That's brand new and I love it so far. My labels pop up in ShipStation about 24 hours after a purchase, giving people a little window of time to adjust their order or make changes before I ship it.

At that point, all that's left is handing it off to the postal carrier of your choice! Boom, you're done!

A final note from me, I moved ShopShifty to Fourthwall so I could have one address for ALL my merch instead of splitting it between Patreon, a print-on-demand store, and the Junk Box store. It's proven to be the best choice I've made in years and has saved me a ton of money in marketplace fees, Paypal's cut, and web hosting charges. This has genuinely been the easiest way to sell my merch!

#fourthwall #I wouldn't praise anything like this that I didn't absolutely love #and I love fw #I'm proud our lil shifty made partner #now I help other people set their stores up

181 notes · View notes

gacha-incels · 3 months ago

Text

"Failed to Filter Out Hateful Webtoon"... Platform Accountability Under Fire Due to 'Pong Pong Man' Controversy

this article is originally in Korean and has been mtl and edited into English here. It’s not going to be 1:1 but the basic info should be there. If you notice any discrepancies please lmk and I’ll fix it asap. as always thanks for your help and understanding everyone. By Namyoung Kim published oct 6th 2024

Naver Webtoon is facing criticism for allowing a webtoon containing hate speech and content inciting gender conflict to pass the first round of its competition. Concerns are being raised about whether the platform, as a major content distribution channel, is taking proper responsibility for its influence.

What Happened

Naver Webtoon (referred to as "Naver Web") has been hosting the 2024 Naver Webtoon Greatest Contest on Earth since last month to discover new writers and works. The work causing controversy is a webtoon titled Pong Pong Man in Another World(‘이세계 퐁퐁남’/isekai pomgpongnam). The story is about a man who, after discovering his wife has been unfaithful, realizes that he has become what society calls a "Pong Pong Man" and then travels to another dimension (a different world).

The term "Pong Pong Man" is an online slang referring to a married man who is compared to dishwashing detergent (Pong Pong), used to "clean up" after a promiscuous woman he marries. The term ridicules an innocent man as the "final clean-up" for a "promiscuous woman," and is a typical example of misogynistic hate speech that fuels gender conflict. The published webtoon contains scenes such as a woman who, despite cheating, self-harms to be recognized as a victim of domestic violence while laughing behind the scenes, and characters stating, "The current law is overly favorable to women."

This work passed the first round of Naver Webtoon's editorial review and is awaiting the second round of evaluation. If it passes the second round, it will become eligible for the final prize. Over the weekend, however, the controversy intensified on social media and online communities, with many criticizing Naver for allowing a work that promotes gender conflict and hatred to pass through their filters. Numerous "proof posts" were shared, claiming that people had left protest messages on Naver Webtoon.

(screenshot of the webtoon that was in the article)

This Has Happened Before

In September of last year, a Naver Webtoon work titled True Education faced heavy criticism from English-speaking users for its use of racial slurs and derogatory expressions toward Black people. At the time, Naver Webtoon removed all episodes of True Education from its North American service and deleted the problematic 125th episode in Korea. In 2020, another work, Helper 2, was discontinued due to its misogynistic content and extreme violence.

Naver Webtoon's Response

A Naver Webtoon representative explained the reason why the work passed the first round, saying, "There was no disqualifying content in the first episode alone. We are aware of the various opinions surrounding this work, and we will conduct a comprehensive review for the next round of judgment." The representative added, "If there are reports of excessively sexual or violent content in Challenge Comics or Best Challenge works, we take measures such as blinding or deletion. However, since this is a work in progress for the contest, it is difficult to request modifications from the author at this stage."

Naver Webtoon is Hosting the 2024 Naver Webtoon Greatest Contest on Earth. Screenshot from Naver Webtoon.

Why This is Important

Currently, the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) defers complaints about webtoons to the Webtoon Self-Regulation Committee, following a "post-regulation" system that considers creative freedom. The committee reviews complaints and passes the results to its partner platforms (like Naver Webtoon), which then take necessary actions and report back to the committee.

Criticism has emerged, however, that platforms like Naver Webtoon, as distribution channels, are not fully living up to their responsibilities. According to analysis by Representative Hyung-doo Choi of the People Power Party, based on data from the KCSC, a total of 1,028 complaints were filed regarding webtoons between 2019 and August 2023, but only 495 cases resulted in self-regulation measures.

In the end, the challenge for platforms is how to strike a balance between creative freedom and regulating hate speech or explicit content. In June of this year, Naver Webtoon, under the name Webtoon Entertainment, was listed on NASDAQ, positioning itself as a global content platform. Manga critic Sang-min Sung commented, "A contest entry isn't going to be perfect from the start, and comics can’t always use polished language. However, looking at the problematic expressions, it seems clear that the author crossed a line." He added, "As a global platform, Naver Webtoon needs to establish clear guidelines for the content that is posted on its site."

#Naver #naver webtoon #pongpongnam isekai #Pong pong man #south korea #Misogyny #racism #korea communications standards commission #Webtoon

27 notes · View notes

kenniilovesthethicc · 1 year ago

Text

I made this fic when I was upset and in need of some comfort vore shenanigans so without further ado

Mental Health Break - a Cater x Reader Ventfic

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

The internet was a mistake.

You were just. Tired. Of everything you've seen the past few days. You needed to put down the phone for a while and just relax somewhere calming. Across the lounge you spot Cater and decide it's his turn to be pestered; you doubt anybody else here would really be able to sympathize...

"Hey, Cater.." you begin with a drained tone.

"Hey babe, what's got you all mopey?" Taking a breath, you explain "My Magicam timeline has been depressing me and I need to do something to distract me from doomscrolling - any ideas?" He gave an understanding look, his brain trying to think of a way to aid you. "I don't think I'm the best person when it comes to logging off lol, but I feel you about the need for some mind cleansing. Lemme research."

The ginger haired junior scoured the web for mental health care and came upon an advertisement. "Would ya look at that! Sensory deprivation tanks; if only it weren't school season. ( -_- )" You hadn't thought about going to a specialty spa like that. It would feel very relaxing, you pondered.

BZZ BZZ

Ah, Cater was getting a call from Lilia that they need to go to Potions class QUICKLY! "Crap! Gotta go, I'll make sure to keep your request in mind!" With that, you parted ways as you now had to help Grim with History class, great.

Class has ended and you're still in the pits. Collapsing onto the sofa you stare blankly into the ceiling. Moments later, you feel a presence looming over you with a hint of mischief. "Pookiebear, look what I made in potions~" Oh no not Pookiebear! Giggling a small bit, you glance and see a familiar liquid bottle. "Wait, I recognize that from somewhere," you remark as the boy offered the potion. "It's pretty famous, maybe infamous, in the Queendom of Roses so I've heard. It's just a shrinking potion, but it has no time limit unlike the one from Beanfest."

Whatever Cater had planned for a tiny you was beyond any imagination, but you were too blahh to care. Gulping it down, you begin to minimize and your friend carefully scoops you up. "Sooo about those sensory tanks, I was thinkin... I know you sometimes lay your head on my tummy to fall asleep, so what if... I vored you :]" he smiled cutely with his snagglefang showing. Cater could read you like a book sometimes, and he knew you got asmr from listening to his stomach and chest when tired, so it was no surprise he found out you had an interest in something like this. Very flustered, you nodded in consent to be swallowed.

With Cater casting a barrier spell on his stomach's internals, he then opened his mouth and allowed you to climb inside. "Mmm.. not a bad flavor~" he mused as he swished you around his maw for a few moments. Making sure he avoided hitting you against a tooth, he savored the light spiciness of your skin from when you accidentally got pepper on yourself during lunch. Once done, he tilted his head back and thus started your slide down to tummytown. His throat muscles acted like a strange massage mechanism as you were pushed downward, and soon enough you landed inside the squishy organ.

It was warm and cozy, the walls pulsing as your host breathed steadily in a consistent rhythm of sorts. Cater rubbed his belly from under his button-up to make sure he could feel you, smirking when you pushed a hand against his own. "There you go, bud! How is it inside?" Stretching out and sighing, you reviewed his stomach's interior; "I can't see much, but from what I can feel and hear it reminds me of an alien movie but not scary. 5/5 stars from me!" Proud now that he got a good rating, the Heartslyabul student stretched and yawned before making his way to his bedroom. "You're pretty filling for some weird reason, making me sleepy lol." Taking off his daytime attire he slips on some pj shorts and shifts into bed, a hand to his belly once more. Putting on a playlist off a music app, he sat his phone next to his abdomen and got ready for a nap. "Have a good sleep," he says before closing his eyes while you hummed in bliss and began to join him in slumber. Cuddles like this were the best cure for the social media Blues ♡

#twisted wonderland #twst #twst vore #comfort vore #g/t vore #sfw vore #cater diamond #tw vore

21 notes · View notes

digitaldetoxworld · 4 months ago

Text

How To Create Great Web Stories Stunning In 10 Easy Steps

What is Web Stories

Create Web Stories are a visually enticing, cell-first layout that combines brief, dynamic, and tappable content material elements which include textual content, snap shots, video, and animations. Similar to Instagram or Snapchat Stories, Web Stories allow users to eat content in chunk-sized slides, making them ideal for storytelling, tutorials, product showcases, or news updates. However, not like social media memories that live inside apps, Web Stories are hosted at the open net, because of this they may be discovered via search engines like google, shared throughout structures, and embedded in websites.

web stories are immersive, visually rich, and cellular - first review that combine brief videos, pix, animations and textual content to inform a tale or convey records in chunk-sized, without difficulty consumable chunks. They are designed to have interaction audiences thru tappable, vertical content material that customers can swipe thru at their personal tempo, similar to social media stories on system like Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat.

Traits Of Net Memories

Visual Focus

It is prioritize awesome visuals, using photographs, movies, and animations to create an attractive narrative.

Short and Consumable

Each web tale is divided into multiple quick slides, frequently lasting a few seconds every. They are designed to be brief to view, making them appropriate for cell browsing.

Interactive and Tap friendly

Users can tap to move between slides or interact with elements embedded inside the story, making the enjoy extra dynamic.

Mobile First

We are constructed with cellular users in mind, providing a vertical format that fit the display of a smartphone flawlessly.

Hosted at the Web

Unlike platform specific testimonies on social media, Web Stories stay on the open internet and may be determined thru search engines like google, shared thru url and embedded websites.

Content Versatility

They can cover quite a few subjects which include news, travel, recipes, product reviews, tutorials and more, permitting creators to interact their target market in creative and information method.

Why Web Stories Matter

Enhanced Engagement

The quick, visually captivating format keeps users engaged, that could lead to better retention and interaction.

SEO and Discovery

We are indexable by means of serps, making them a fantastic tool for riding natural visitors.

Control Over Content

Unlike social media stories, offer more control over the content, design, and target audience reach considering they are hosted on a website.

Monetization

Best Web Stories are publishers and brands can contain ads or associate hyperlinks into Web Stories, providing opportunities for sales technology.

#Create Web Stories #Best Web Stories

2 notes · View notes

topitservices · 5 months ago

Text

Best E-commerce SSL Certificate 2024

Introduction to SSL Certificates

SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, certificates are small data files that encrypt data transmitted between a web server and a browser. When installed on a web server, they activate the padlock and the HTTPS protocol, ensuring that all data passed between the web server and browser remains private and secure.

Why SSL Certificates are Essential for E-commerce

Why do you need an SSL certificate for your e-commerce website? Imagine walking into a store and feeling unsafe about handing over your credit card. You’d probably leave, right? The same goes for online shopping. SSL certificates build trust, protect sensitive information, and are crucial for PCI compliance, which is necessary if you accept credit card payments.

Types of SSL Certificates

There are several types of SSL certificates, each serving different purposes:

Domain Validated (DV) SSL

DV SSL certificates are the most basic type. They verify the domain name, ensuring the website belongs to who it says it does. They’re quick to obtain and ideal for blogs or informational sites.

Organization Validated (OV) SSL

OV SSL certificates offer a higher level of security. They not only verify domain ownership but also the organization behind it. These are suitable for businesses and e-commerce sites.

Extended Validation (EV) SSL

EV SSL certificates provide the highest level of security and trust. They require thorough vetting of the business and activate the green address bar in browsers, showing users that the site is highly secure. This is perfect for high-profile e- sites.

How to Choose the Right SSL Certificate

Choosing the right SSL certificate depends on several factors, such as the type of website development services in India you have, the level of trust you want to convey, and your budget. Ask yourself these questions: Do you need a single-domain, multi-domain, or wildcard certificate? What level of validation is necessary? How much are you willing to spend?

Top SSL Certificate Providers

Several companies provide SSL certificates, but some stand out for their reliability and customer service:

Symantec

Symantec (now part of DigiCert) is renowned for its robust security solutions. They offer a range of SSL certificates suitable for all types of websites.

Comodo

Comodo provides affordable SSL certificates with various validation levels, making them a popular choice for small to medium-sized businesses.

GlobalSign

GlobalSign is another top provider, known for its high-quality SSL certificates and excellent customer support.

Customer Reviews of SSL Certificates

Customer reviews can be incredibly helpful when choosing an SSL certificate. Look for feedback on ease of installation, customer support, and overall satisfaction. Websites like Trustpilot and G2 are great places to start. Remember, a product that works well for one person may not be ideal for another, so consider multiple reviews before making a decision.

GoDaddy SSL Certificates

GoDaddy is a well-known name in the domain and hosting industry, and they also offer SSL certificates. They provide a range of options, from DV to EV certificates, with competitive pricing and robust customer support. Many users appreciate the convenience of managing all their website needs under one provider.

SSL Certificate Prices

SSL certificate prices can vary widely based on the type and provider. Here’s a general breakdown:

DV SSL Certificates: These are usually the cheapest, ranging from free (e.g., Let’s Encrypt) to around $50 per year.

OV SSL Certificates: These typically cost between $50 and $200 per year.

EV SSL Certificates: These are the most expensive, often ranging from $200 to $1000 per year.

While it might be tempting to go for the cheapest option, consider the level of trust and security you need for your ecommerce site.

GoDaddy SSL Prices

GoDaddy’s SSL certificate prices are competitive:

DV SSL Certificates: Starting at $63.99 per year.

OV SSL Certificates: Starting at $159.99 per year.

EV SSL Certificates: Starting at $299.99 per year.

Installing Your SSL Certificate

Installing an SSL certificate can seem daunting, but most providers offer detailed guides and customer support to help you through the process. Generally, you’ll need to generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) from your server, submit it to your SSL provider, and then install the issued certificate on your server.

Maintaining SSL Certificate Security

Once your SSL certificate is installed, maintaining its security is crucial. Regularly update your server software, use strong passwords, and monitor your certificate’s expiration date to ensure it doesn’t lapse. Renewing your certificate before it expires helps maintain continuous security.

Common SSL Certificate Issues

Even with the best SSL certificate, you might encounter issues such as:

Mixed Content Errors: Occur when secure and non-secure content is loaded on the same page.

Certificate Mismatch: Happens when the domain name in the certificate does not match the URL.

Expired Certificate: An expired certificate can lead to security warnings for visitors.

Most issues can be resolved by following troubleshooting guides provided by your SSL certificate provider or seeking help from their customer support.

Conclusion

Choosing the best SSL certificate for your e-commerce site is a critical decision that impacts your site’s security and your customers’ trust. By understanding the different types of SSL certificates, reviewing customer feedback, and considering your specific needs and budget, you can make an informed choice. Whether you opt for a GoDaddy SSL certificate or another reputable provider, ensuring your website is secure is a step in the right direction.

FAQs

1. What is an SSL certificate and why do I need it? An SSL certificate encrypts data between your website and visitors, ensuring secure transactions and building trust.

2. How much does an SSL certificate cost? Prices vary: DV certificates range from free to $50/year, OV certificates from $50 to $200/year, and EV certificates from $200 to $1000/year.

3. What is the difference between DV, OV, and EV SSL certificates? DV verifies domain ownership, OV verifies the organization, and EV provides the highest security with thorough vetting and a green address bar.

4. Can I get an SSL certificate for free? Yes, providers like Let’s Encrypt offer free DV SSL certificates, suitable for basic websites and blogs.

5. How do I install an SSL certificate on my website? Installation involves generating a CSR, submitting it to your provider, and installing the issued certificate on your server. Most providers offer detailed guides to help you through the process.

By taking the time to secure your e-commerce site with the right SSL certificate, you not only protect your customers but also enhance your site’s credibility and trustworthiness.

#seo services #seo business #search engine marketing #seo packages #seo techniques #digital marketing #ecommerce #software engineering #digital marketing services #web development

2 notes · View notes

earnmoneyonlineseo · 2 years ago

Text

Let’s see what the most important criteria for choosing the web hosting company are:

Uptime. This measure shows how reliable the web hosting provider is. Uptime is usually counted in percent, and I would recommend not choosing anything below 99,9%. If you cannot find the company guarantee, you can always google the tests done by other users.

Newest technology. It will show that the company is reliable, and its hardware and software won’t fail you. Things such as SSD drives go a long way in speed and performance of the servers.

Unlimited Bandwidth. Simply put, how many visitors will be allowed to visit your website at the same time. If the bandwidth is limited, you might face some issues for higher traffic websites.

Word of Mouth. It’s very important to listen to what other users are saying about the company. Check sources such as Trustpilot, and you’ll see what other people think about the company.

Server location. As you are looking to host your website in India, your visitors will most likely be from there. You want your website to be close to your users, so you should choose a company with servers in the Asia region. For example, Hostinger has seven servers worldwide, and the best one for India would be Singapore, as it’s close to India.

Freebies. For the best deal, check what comes with the package you are choosing. Often you can get things such as free domains and free SSL certificates together with the hosting package. That way, you can make sure you are getting the biggest value out of the price you pay.

#best cheap web hosting #best cheap web hosting for wordpress #cheap web hosting #best web hosting #cheap and best web hosting #best web hosting for wordpress #cheap web hosting for wordpress #web hosting #best cheap hosting #best wordpress hosting #wordpress hosting #best website hosting #cheap wordpress hosting #cheap web hosting wordpress #cheapest web hosting #web hosting reviews #best hosting for wordpress #website hosting review #cheap web hosting services

0 notes

meganwilhoit · 2 years ago

Text

Digital Retailing: Branding on the Web

Branding is a super important tool and concept, not just for businesses but also for one's personal use. A few months back my school's American Marketing Association (AMA), hosted an event for “personal branding”, and expert individuals came in to discuss what branding was and how we could develop our own “brand”. Although this event pertained to personal branding, it still helped me grasp a better understanding of what branding actually is. And what I learned was branding is made up of a lot of different things, not just the company's name or logo.

By definition, branding is “is the process of giving meaning to a specific organization, company, products or services by creating and shaping a brand in consumers’ minds. It is a strategy designed by organizations to help people to quickly identify and experience their brand, and give them a reason to choose their products over the competition’s, by clarifying what this particular brand is and is not” (Marion, 2022).

As more people shift towards the e-retail shopping experience, companies are having to adjust their branding to accurately reflect their company on a digital platform. I also think it should be noted that customers' expectations play a huge role in the differences between online and offline branding. Meeting these expectations is crucial for a company to succeed in branding and overall. Although I do think branding can be very similar between the web and the traditional retail environment, there are also some differences that should be considered to fully optimize the customer experience.

The first difference is in customer service. Customer service is a part of a company's brand and implementing good customer service will give consumers a better idea of what the company represents. Customer service can be much easier to obtain in the traditional retail environment. Consumers can speak directly to an associate or manager if any issues arise.

A personal experience of exceptional customer service in a traditional retail environment is when I shop at Altar’d State. They are a women’s boutique with the mission “Our mission is to serve as an inspiration, empower others and give more than we receive. We do this by lifting those who need a helping hand, volunteering our time to enrich lives, and extending the power of prayer.” (Altar’d State, n.d). Whenever I shop with them I am always given the best customer service, from the moment I walk in I am greeted by an associate and they offer to help me find exactly what I am looking for. They will offer a dressing room if I am a pile of clothes and will also offer advice and compliments while in the dressing room. Altar’d State goes above and beyond in its customer service aspects to build its brand and show its consumers what they strive for in a company. But with e-retailing, this interaction and customer service cannot be performed, companies have to use other resources to create these experiences with customer service and stay consistent with their branding.

An online retailer that I think has achieved high levels of branding through its customer service is Amazon. Amazon has been successful in filling the void of social interaction that is found online. They offer quick shipping with Amazon Prime, even offering one-day/overnight delivery in some areas. They promote “frequently bought together” or “similar products” on all their product listings to offer their consumers more advice and expertise. And Amazon has extensive reviews from customers who have purchased the product previously. Other customers can view these reviews with different filters (such as most recent or best to worst) to find all the readily available information before purchasing. Amazon also has a traditional customer service phone line and email for their customers if any larger issues arise. But the majority of the time customers can navigate through Amazon’s website to make returns or contact supplies.

Another difference in branding is through packaging design. We all know how a brand's product packaging can help with its branding. Brands can use their logos, slogans, and colors on their packaging to keep consistent branding and help spread awareness of the brand. Some examples are Tiffany’s iconic blue box with the white ribbon or Campbell's classic red and white soup cans. But I also view packaging design as how the product is presented to the customer upon purchase. This can also help a company’s brand differentiate between traditional retail environments and online retailers. If a company has poor packaging (such as unidentifiable or not securing the product properly) customers are going to associate the company with low quality.

In a traditional retail environment, the packaging design falls down to how the products are placed in the bag and the branding on the bag. One example from personal experience that comes to mind is Victoria’s Secret. Once I check out my item are wrapped in their color-themed tissue paper (typically white or pink), placed in their classic pink striped bag, and more tissue paper is added to the top. Each of these elements helps their branding. Not only do I feel I have purchased a more high-quality product due to the packaging, but the branding of the bag helps me and other consumers clearly identify the brand.

In the e-retail environment, packaging design falls into how the packaging is shipped to the consumer. Patagonia is a clothing brand (online and traditional retail) but a huge focus on sustainability and being environmentally friendly. To ensure this message is conveyed through all their channels, they have made a strong effort to make their packaging design more sustainable. Their shipping boxes are cardboard but the inside of their boxes have some of their classic designs to keep branding consistent. They also have made efforts to minimize the amount of packaging required and made plans for their consumers to easily recycle these packaging components. Patagonia is using its packaging design to convey its message of being sustainable while still ensuring the packaging is identifiable to its brand.

One way online retailers can build their branding and ensure it is consistent with their message is through social media. Over the past three years or so we have seen social media turn into e-retailers themselves. Instagram and Pinterest have even been able to create “shopping centers” on their networks where consumers can easily shop for products and purchase them through the app. Customers can follow companies on social media to keep up on new releases, and upcoming sales, and even enter potential giveaways. Companies can use their social media to connect with their customers on a more personal level while still being in the digital environment. Companies can also use social media to help with their digital branding by posting pictures and videos that accurately reflect the brand and what they are all about, especially since “a picture is worth a thousand words”.

Two examples came to my mind when thinking of companies that use social media to help build their brand. The first is Patagonia. As I stated before they are huge on sustainability and environmentalism, one of their marketing campaigns was even about “Don’t Buy This Jacket”, which brought awareness to the overconsumption of clothes. On Patagonia's social media accounts, they strive to maintain this message, instead of consistently posting about their products, they actually feature environmental activists as well as consumers wearing Patagonia while performing outdoor activities. This is a great example of using social media to accurately reflect their brand.

The other example that came to mind was Aerie, a smaller section of American Eagle featuring women's intimates and loungewear. Their purpose is to “love everybody”, and through their social media accounts, they post so many diverse women wearing Aerie clothing, whether that is different bodies or ethnicities, and featuring women with disabilities too. This is to bring love to one another and show that every body is beautiful, not just the “standard” we see all too often in magazines.

Traditional and online retailers can both use the same branding strategies but they use them in different ways, such as how they create customer service experiences or how they package their products. But I also think social media play’s a huge role in a company's branding. This is where companies can really connect with their consumers and show off their products as well as their purpose and what they stand for.

References

Altar'd State. (n.d.). Standout For Good. Altar'd State. Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.altardstate.com/stand-out-for-good/

Marion. (2022, March 9). What Is Branding? The Branding Journal. Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.thebrandingjournal.com/2015/10/what-is-branding-definition/

#branding #digital marketing #marketing #digital

35 notes · View notes