Here are answers to some frequently asked questions regarding the website features in DistributorCentral.
How do I link my product catalog to the website I already have?
You can find the HTML code for your product catalog in the welcome letter that gives you your login information. If you no longer have that email, you can find the catalog code this way:
1) Go to the Websites menu in your account
2) Select Add/Edit Websites
3) Click the Edit link beside your website
4) Click the Website Publisher
How do I add my logo to my website or product catalog?
NOTE: Images must be saved as either .JPEG or .GIF format and in RGB color mode. The website will display the image at the size it's uploaded; it won't automatically adjust the size.
1) Go to the Websites menu in your account
2) Select Add/Edit Websites
3) Click the Edit link beside your website name
4) Click the Sitewide Settings tool
5) In the Sitewide Settings page, look for the section that says Website Logo
6) Click the Add A New Logo link
7) Name your logo and click Browse to retrieve it from your computer or disk
8) Click Save
9) Publish your website. Click the Website Publisher button
10) Click on the Publish New Changes button
Your logo should now appear at the top of your website and product catalog.
My logo is too big. How do I make it smaller?
Once you have saved an image to the Image Library, you can't change its size. You must open the image in your graphic editing software (i.e. PhotoShop), adjust the size of the image, re-save the image and then load the new image into the Image Library.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is the address for your website. It's also called a URL. The domain name you get for free from DistributorCentral will be something like www.DistributorCentral.com/websites/YourCompanyName.
How do I get my own domain name?
You may purchase a different domain name on your own. There are several domain name registrars to choose from. One of the most well-known is GoDaddy.com. It doesn't matter where you purchase your domain name, just be sure to hang onto the information they give you when you sign up with them.
If you want to have DistributorCentral host your domain name, you will need our DNS (domain name server) information to give your registrar:
Primary DNS: ns1.distributorcentral.com
Secondary DNS: ns2.distributorcentral.com
How do I use my own domain name on my website?
Hooking your domain name to your website is called mapping. Before you begin mapping your domain name, be sure you know where you bought the domain name (the registrar) and know the username and password the registrar gave you.
1) Go to the Websites menu in your account
2) Select Domain Names
3) Click Add New Domain Name
4) Follow the on-screen instructions for adding your Domain Name to DistributorCentral and changing your DNS at the account where you registered your domain name. Changes will take 24 to 72 hours to be fully implemented.
What are pre-made templates?
If you don't have the time or desire to make a website from scratch, you can use one of the pre-made websites from DistributorCentral. Be sure to customize the template by adding your own logo, address, company name, etc.
How do I view and use a pre-made template?
1) Go to the Websites menu in your account
2) Select Add/Edit Websites
3) Browse at the Pre-made Templates by clicking Preview beside the template name
4) When you find one you like, click Use
5) Name the website (i.e. Pretty Neat Promotions)
6) Click Create Site From Template
7) Edit your website as desired
How do I add my own logo to a pre-made template banner?
You'll need PhotoShop or a similar graphics program to put your logo on top of the provided template banner. If you're not experienced with graphics, find a friend to help you.
1) In your website editor, select the Content Library
2) Click the gray Documents tab
3) Click the link for logo_bannertemplates.ZIP
4) Unzip the file. You will find two items in the file. A .TIF picture of the banner and a .PSD PhotoShop document picture of the banner.
5) Open one of the banner pictures in your graphics program
6) Use the graphics program to add your logo to the leaf picture
7) Adjust the file type to be a .JPEG or .GIF, adjust the color format to RGB
8) Save the new picture, the banner with your logo on top
9) Upload the new picture as the logo in your Sitewide Settings
How do I change the colors on my website?
1) Click the Sitewide Settings tool
2) Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the pre-made color schemes. You can see a sample of the colors in each scheme by clicking the View link to the right of the scheme name.
3) To select a color scheme, click the radio button beside it, then click Save.
4) To edit a color scheme, click Edit to the right of the scheme name
5) Use the Modify Your Website Colors section to choose new colors
6) Be sure to Save after every color change you make
Your new colors will not be active on your live site until you publish it.
Note: If you selected a pre-made template for your website, not all colors are changeable.
Can I change the font on my site?
1) Click the Sitewide Settings tool
2) Scroll to the bottom of the page to the Color Schemes section
3) Next to the scheme labeled Active, click Edit
4) Change your fonts and sizes at the bottom of the next page where it says Modify Your Website Fonts. Be sure to click Save after each change.
What is a block?
A block is an invisible container for the things you want to put on your website: words, pictures, forms, etc. Most webpages you have on your site will be made using blocks. You must have one block on each page, but you can have many more than that. Each block is just as wide as your website, but the height of a block varies according to what's in it. Think of a block's height as being stretch-to-fit.
Each block is divided into sections. In each section you can put one type of content. If you want to include a picture and some text in the same block, that block must have two sections. A picture could go in one section, the text must go in a separate section.
How do I add new pages to my site?
1) Click the Add/Edit Webpages tool
2) Look for the list of Pages You May Add at the bottom of the screen
3) Choose which page type you want, then click Add New Page.
4) Add blocks to this page according to what you want it to look like. Sometimes it helps to sketch out your webpages before you start making them in your website.
How can I put a Custom Catalog, Preferred Supplier Catalog or Industry Wide Theme Catalog on my website?
1) Go to the Website menu in your account
2) Select Add/Edit Websites
3) Click Edit beside the name of your website
4) Click the Product Catalog tool
5) Click Add/Remove Catalog
6) From the left side list of Catalogs Available, select the catalogs you want to display on your site
7) Use the arrow to move the selected catalog to the right side showing Catalogs Selected
8) Click Save
9) Publish your website using the Website Publisher tool
10) Click Publish New Changes
Can I password protect some pages of my site so only my customers can see them?
Yes, when you edit a page you will see the Show/Hide Advanced Options link. One of the advanced features is Page Access. Here are the different options and how they work:
Both, the page can be seen by people not signed in to your site AND people who are signed in
Private, the page can only be seen by people who are signed in
Public, the page can be seen only by people who are not signed in
You will have to add a Sign In block and the My Account page to your website to allow your customers to sign in.
Also note, that anyone who goes to your website can request a username and password. All requests are immediately approved on Distributor sites. On Supplier sites, password applications are directed to DistributorCentral. If we determine that the person is a verified promotional product Distributor, we?ll grant him access.
How do I publish my site?
1) Click the Website Publisher tool
2) Click Publish New Changes
There will be a short delay before your changes are published to your live website.
How do I add pictures to my site?
All images you want to display on your website must be saved either as a .JPEG or .GIF, with RBG color format. Any image that you want to put in a block must first be added to the Image Library. There are two ways to do that:
1) Click the Content Library tool
2) Click the gray Images tab
3) Click the Add New Image link
OR
1) In the block you're working on, change the content to Picture
2) Click the Add A Picture button
Once you've done the above, type in a short image description
Click Browse to go find the image on your computer
Click Save
Now the image is in the Image Library. To add it to a picture block, just choose the picture's name from the drop-down list in the picture block. Don?t forget to click Save.
How do I put a link on my site?
A link on your site must go within a block on a page. You can make a link at the bottom of Written Content sections or Picture sections, or by using the Link To Another Webpage type of content. Before you can put a link in a block you must first add the link to the Link Library. Here?s how:
1) Click the Content Library tool
2) Click the gray Links tab
3) Click Add New Link
OR
1) In the block you?re working on click the Add A Link button
Once you've done the above, type in a name for the link
Type in the address for where you want the link to go
Click Save
Now the link is in the Link Library. To add it to a block, just choose the link's name from the drop-down list. Don't forget to click Save.
Can I add HTML coding to my DistributorCentral website?
Yes, if you know HTML, you can put it in a Written Content block on any page in your website.
1) Add a block to your page
2) Select Written Content as the type of content for the section you're working in
3) Change the Web Editor Preference to Basic HTML
4) Type or paste in your HTML code
5) Click Save at the bottom of the page
Can I add my own fields to the Contact Us form on my website?
Yes, but think carefully before you start adding. You have a limit of three custom fields, and once a form field is saved it can never be edited.
1) Go to the Account menu
2) Select Misc
3) Select Custom Form Fields
Can I add meta tags to my DistributorCentral website?
Meta tags are hidden keywords that sometimes help your website show up higher in search engine results. Here?s how to add them to your website:
1) Click the Sitewide Settings tool
2) Click the gray Footer tab
3) Add a Block to your footer
4) For the content type in your block, select Meta Tags
5) Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your meta tag block
Can I see how much traffic my website is getting?
If you have your domain name hosted by DistributorCentral, you can see a traffic report..
1) Go to the Websites menu in your account
2) Select Add/Edit Websites
3) Next to your website, click Edit
4) Click the Website Traffic tool
How can I get more traffic to my site?
This is one area where DistributorCentral won't be much help. We give you the software to make a great site, but it's up to you to figure out the best strategy for marketing your website. Luckily, you're in the promotions business, so I bet you can find a great way to promote your site.
Can I turn off the Ordering feature on my website?
When a customer places an order through your website, the order comes straight to you, the Distributor. It does not go to the Supplier until you send it through the system. However, if you do not want your customers to order at all, you can turn off the order feature this way:
1) Go to the Website menu
2) Select Add/Edit Websites
3) Next to your site name, click Website Preferences
4) On the far left side, click Orders
5) Now look for the question that says "Display Order Button on Website?" and select NO
6) Click Apply
7) Publish your website for changes to take effect
