(The information is  from an email warning sent earlier this week to all our clients using the Wordpress platform.  If you are a past YNot Web client from 2006 or later and did NOT receive this email, PLEASE contact us at 916-436-1638 to confirm whether this information pertains to you.  Email or spam filtering may have kept you from receiving this vital information.)

Over the holiday weekend, information went out that there is a worm virus making its way across the internet looking for old, unpatched versions of Wordpress.  Only the last two versions of Wordpress- 2.8.4 and 2.8.3 (released in the last couple of months) are immune to this worm.

Most of YNot Web’s websites since the beginning of 2007 are built upon the Wordpress platform.  Our recommendation to each project client was to plan on upgrades once or twice per year.  You can see your Wordpress version by logging in to your Dashboard- it will display your installed version on the first screen.

If your site launched prior to August of this year and you have not upgraded or had someone else upgrade your site, I urge you to do so now.  Please also, make sure that you fully back up your files and the database before an upgrade is started.

Rest assured, if you have a monthly maintenance/retainer agreement with YNot Web, you have already been upgraded or been notified that your upgrade needs to occur this week.

Upgrades can be fast & simple, especially if done on a regular basis, but grow in complexity the more plugins (added features) you have and the larger the difference in versions (there were major changes at versions 2.3, 2.6, and 2.7).   Also, your hosting company choices can ease the complexity of upgrades.  If you are hosted with HostGator, our top recommended host since mid-2007, their backup system and Fantastico application control facilitate a smooth transition.

Again, if you do not have version 2.8.4, I urge you to make plans to upgrade now.  Please let me know if you need assistance with this- either by scheduling the work with us or if you need login/hosting account reminders to provide to someone else.  Attached below are some basic steps/best practices for anyone who wants to manage the upgrade on their own.

How to Backup-Update Wordpress on HostGator Hosting

Here is the complete list of clients who won in our final draw of this year’s Customer Appreciation Raffle:

• Janet Pickel, Sentinel Technology Solutions
• Mike Pulskamp, Pulskamp Arts
• Laura Abernathy, Mission Accomplished Academy
• Annette Burkam, DIY
• Christy Gelesko, GoGift
• Jane Steele, Arcade Creek Recreation and Park District

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners.  Looking forward to another year of working with all my clients and new clients to come.

We have 6 more winners, commemorating YNot Web’s 6th business anniversary.  Notifications are going out throughout the weekend.

Our first winner, Janet Pickel of Sentinel Technology Solutions has selected her prize to be season tickets to Sacramento Opera.  Our second winner is being notified and once we know that person’s selections, we will notify the next and so on.

Thanks again to all our clients & partners who submitted new prize ideas for winners to choose.

Its week #3 celebrating our 6th business anniversary and Doug Spindler of PacITPros is our third winner for this year’s Customer Appreciation Raffle.

YNot Web has set up a series of CMS websites over the past 4 years for this not-for-profit association.  Doug submitted an entry, filled out our survey, and has referred one client to us this year. 

Thanks for your loyalty and Congratulations Doug.

Time to pull another winner from our customer entries in this year’s Customer Appreciation raffle!

This week’s winner is Kimanh Davis, owner of Sunrise Technologies whose site we modernized setting it up for easy self-maintenance and growth.  Kimanh submitted an entry and filled out this year’s survey saying that she would be “very likely” (rated 10 on a scale of 1 to 10) to refer a friend or colleague to us in the future.

Thanks Kimanh for your business! 

Kimanh now gets 2nd choice from our lengthy Prize Option List.

UPDATE:Kimanh has selected one year membership in the National Association of Women Business Owners as her prize. Congratulations Kimanh!

Nancy Milton of Progress Mediation is our first winner for this year’s Customer Appreciation Raffle.

Congratulations Nancy!

Nancy submitted an entry, filled out our survey, sent us a testimonial after her site was launched, and has referred one prospective client to us this year.  Nancy will get first choice on the prize options (to be listed soon) and we’ll update this entry when her choice is made.

UPDATE: Nancy has selected YNot Web’s Biz Booster package  as her prize.  Good luck to all our entrants in our second week raffle on July 17th.

Our Client Appreciation Raffle, an exclusive benefits to our customers, is underway for the month of July.  To be eligible to win one of our amazing raffle prizes, you must be a client of YNot Web in good standing and you must submit an entry form. 

This year, we have a huge list of prize options for our winners, including some valuable services provided by clients and business partners.  Download the complete list of current prize options. Other highlights include:

• Golf Tournament entries and sponsorships
• Fair Oaks Chamber memberships
• Memberships to the National Association of Women Business Owners
• YNot Web’s Biz Booster packages
• $100 Google Adwords budgets
• Trial subscription to YNot Web’s Blogmentation™ service 

Entry instructions have been emailed to all our clients, past and present.  We realize that we may not have everyones’ current email addresses or that certain spam or bulk email filters may prevent this mail from getting through.  If you have been a YNot Web client and have not received an email,  you can request a resend of your raffle entry instructions.  If you still do not receive a link to the entry form, please call us for information.

Bonus entries are given to clients who have submitted testimonials, are fans of our Facebook page, have submitted an endorsement via LinkedIn, or have referred prospects to us since the raffle in 2008.