What comes with my free zoomshare web site?
Currently, with your free zoomshare web site you receive the following:
Is there a charge for the zoomshare web sites?
No, since we make money from premium web site services as well as from sponsors, the basic zoomshare web site is completely free. We do not require that you submit any billing information and we will not send you a bill.
However, you may choose to upgrade your account to take advantage of our premium services!
What are the system requirements for using a zoomshare web site?
To get the most out of Zoomshare, we recommend that you use Internet Explorer 6.0 (or newer) for the PC or Mozilla Firefox 1.0 (or newer) for the PC or Mac. We also provide limited support for Safari, but not all features currently function properly.
Helpful performance tips:
How do I log in? I am having difficulties logging in or accessing my tools, what do I do?
Please visit the zoomshare home page and login to your web site by filling in the field in the upper right hand corner. You will need to know your user name and password to access your web site. We have e-mailed your user name and password to the e-mail address you provided when you created your zoomshare web site.
A 401 Authorization Failed error means that you have entered an incorrect username and password. Please confirm your login information contained within the notification e-mail we sent when you ordered the service. Please try logging in again.
If you have attempted to login with incorrect login credentials multiple times, you may need to clear your browser’s history and/or cache before trying again. (For information on how to do this, please review the FAQ question devoted to this topic "How do I clear my browser's history/cache?").
How do I clear my browser's history/cache? What is accomplished by doing this?
As you surf the Internet or make changes to your zoomshare web site, your computer saves what you view locally on your hard drive. This helps your computer load the pages you visit faster by retrieving them from your computer rather than downloading it from the web site again. This means that when you visit a web site, you may not be seeing the updated information - such as changes you just made to your zoomshare web site OR the 401 error you received when you entered an incorrect username and/or password.
Clearing your Cache & Cookies in Internet Explorer:
Clearing your Cache & Cookies in Firefox:
How do I change my password?
You may change your password through the Profile found within the forums. Login to your editing console, click the forums tab (or visit http://forums.zoomshare.com and login) and visit the Profile section. Under the Username field, there is a link to "Change password." On the subsequent page you will be able to fill out the fields to change your password.
Keep in mind a few things when selecting your password, a good password should be more than 4 characters long, it should contain letters and numbers, upper-case and lower-case letters. A password is not a word you can find in the dictionary, a name or significant date. Your password should be very difficult to guess.
I forgot my username, what do I do?
Please note, for security purposes, we will only send your login information to the e-mail address you provided when you created your zoomshare web site. We do not provide username and/or password information over the phone.
Try using the Forgot Username or Password form. Please do not submit multiple requests.
Additionally, if you are running a spam filter, please check your spam folder for our e-mail.
I forgot my password, what do I do?
Please note, for security purposes, we will only send your login information to the e-mail address you provided when you created your zoomshare web site, and we do not provide username and/or password information over the phone.
Try using the Forgot Username or Password form. Please do not submit multiple requests.
Additionally, if you are running a spam filter, please check your spam folder for our e-mail.
How do I get more pages?
Your website will start with 4 or 5 pages depending on when you signed up for zoomshare. At present, you can have up to 100 pages on your site (Shop upgraders get one additional section for their store).
To activate new pages, simply go into Site Manager, name your new page(s), select "Active" and then "Save Changes". Your additional pages will be active immediately.
To upgrade your account, you must login to your editing console and click on the appropriate link on the right side of the editors home/welcome page. This will take you to an order form that you must fill out completely, with your billing information. At this time, we can only accept credit cards for zoomshare upgrades.
What is this Adult Content warning? Or I have accidentally made my site for Adults Only! How do I remove it?
We recently added this message to protect minors and those members of the community who do not wish to view adult content. If you think your site is incorrectly categorized as adult, do the following:
If you think your site is should be categorized as adult, do the following:
Keep in mind that marking your sites with adult content is done on the honor system, and if your site ever does contain adult content, and you do not mark it as such, it is a violation of our Terms of Service.
I want to cancel my zoomshare site/account, how do I go about this?
Please use the Contact Us form and select Cancel Service from the drop down menu. You may include your reason for canceling your service in the Message field. You may also cancel your service by sending an e-mail to customerservice@zoomshare.com with the subject "Cancel Service". Please note, if you are canceling a free web site it make take several business days before the site is actually removed from the Internet.
How do I cancel my upgraded account? (zoomshare Plus, Shop, 411zoom, Classified Ad, etc.)
Please use the Contact Us form and select Cancel Service from the drop down menu. You may include your reason for canceling your service in the Message field. You may also cancel your service by sending an e-mail to customerservice@zoomshare.com with the subject "Cancel Service".
At this time, we do not accept cancellations over the telephone for upgraded services. Please note, as stated within our Terms of Service, it may take up to 10 days for us to cancel your account.
Can I change my web address/domain name?
Unfortunately, we cannot change web addresses. If you have made a mistake when typing your web address, please visit www.zoomshare.com and sign up for a site with the correct web address. Please note, we cannot move content from one zoomshare web site to another.
I have never built a web site before. How do I use my zoomshare Site? How do I get started with my zoomshare site?
Once you decide what you want your zoomshare site to be about, we recommend that you follow the directions for signing into your tools and click on the "Help" link located in the lower right hand corner of your screen. The "Help" area gives you an overview of what type of pages come with your zoomshare service and how they function. You will see all of the major help links noted, so you may want to start with a specific task you have in mind once you understand the different types of pages that you have access to.
Also, remember to visit the zoomshare forums, here you will find a variety of users posting about a variety of subjects that you may have an interest in. Our users also share tips and tricks that you might find to be interesting and helpful. Remember to post your own comments too!
What are the forums?
The forums are the central "community" of zoomshare. The forums allow users to interact and share information with one another! And the zoomshare staff uses the forums to broadcast messages about zoomshare (such as new features and errors), get feedback and provide assistance to our users. You are not limited to discussing zoomshare only topics! So join in, get help, make friends and have fun!
What is a forum moderator?
Moderators are zoomshare community members who work with zoomshare to help ensure that our users are abiding by the forums rules and our zoomshare Terms of Service. Usually a moderator or "mod" has shown advanced web site skills and/or a capacity for great people skills.
How can I become a moderator within the zoomshare forums?
We select our moderators based upon their level of participation within the forums and their willingness to help other zoomshare users. If you would like to become a moderator, be sure to post relevant responses to questions posted by other users, start interesting topics within the categories and help foster an open and accepting atmosphere within the zoomshare forums. While this does not automatically make you a moderator, these are qualities we look for when selecting our mods. Please do not contact us with requests to become a mod.
I received a 401 Authorization Error, what now?
If you have attempted to login and your site has returned a 401 Error or says something about your Authorization Failed, this means you did not use the correct username and password. When you signed up for your account, we displayed your username and password on your screen and we have e-mailed it to you (to the account you provided when you ordered the service – this is why its important to give us a valid e-mail address).
If you have entered the wrong login credentials several times, you will need to clear your browser’s history/cache before attempting to login again.
Please note the following:
If you do not know your username and password, you can use the Forgot Username or Password? tool to have it e-mailed to you.
I have received a 500 Internal Server Error, can you help?
Check the forums to ensure that the error you have received is not a global error, affecting some/all zoomshare web sites. We will announce known outages and resolutions here. Any errors reported during a known outage may not receive follow up.
If the error persists and it has not been announced within the forums, please contact us by using the Contact Us form and selecting "Error Received" from the drop down menu. Be as specific as possible when describing the nature of the error, when it occurred and what you were doing when the error occurred. You may also send us an e-mail to customerservice@zoomshare.com. Be sure to place "Error Received" as the subject of your e-mail.
I went to my site and got a 403 error, what should I do?
First, check to see if you have the correct domain name. Be sure you are including "www." and ".zoomshare.com" in your web address.
Typically, if your site is returning a 403 error this means that we have denied access to your site. If your site has been found in violation of our Terms of Service your web site can and will be deleted without notice.
If you are a minor, we may have received a request from your parents/guardian or school to remove your site.
Please note, that if your site violated our Terms of Service in any way, there is no recourse, our decision will remain in effect and your site will remain deleted.
If you truly believe that your site was deleted in error, please Contact Us .
I have received a 404 error, what does this mean?
A 404 error means that the page you have requested does not exist. You may have mistyped or misspelled the address. Please ensure that you are typing the address in the address field of your browser and that the address you are typing does not contain any special characters such as the "@" symbol.
I have another error that is not listed here, what do I do?
Check the forums to ensure that the error you have received is not a global error affecting all zoomshare web sites. We will announce known outages and resolutions here. Any errors reported during a known outage may not receive follow up.
If the error persists and it is not announced within the forums, please contact us by using the Contact Us form and selecting "Error Received" from the drop down menu. Be as specific as possible when describing the nature of the error, when it occurred and what you were doing when the error occurred. You may also send us an e-mail to customerservice@zoomshare.com. Be sure to place "Error Received" as the subject of your e-mail.
A zoomshare user: is harassing me, has posted something slanderous about me, is bothering me, what can I do?
To report abuse by a zoomshare user, you may use the Contact Us form and select "Report Abuse" from the drop-down menu or you may contact us by e-mailing abuse@zoomshare.com, with "Report Abuse" as the subject.
You must provide us with as much information as possible. Be sure to include the web address of the zoomshare user and the specific nature of the abuse you are reporting. We do not provide zoomshare user information to anyone, except when the request is made by an official law enforcement agency. All requests must be made in writing.
We do investigate every reported incident of abuse. However, in some cases, you may not receive follow up regarding the status of your report. We will take action as warranted by the situation.
I have found a zoomshare web site with inappropriate content. What can I do about it?
To report abuse by a zoomshare user, you may use the Contact Us form and select "Report Abuse" from the drop-down menu or you may contact us by e-mailing abuse@zoomshare.com. You must provide us with as much information as possible. Be sure to include the web address of the zoomshare user and the specific nature of the abuse you are reporting.
A zoomshare user is using my material without my permission?
To report abuse, copyright infringement or unauthorized use of your intellectual property by a zoomshare user you may use the Contact Us form and select "Report Abuse" from the drop-down menu or e-mail us at abuse@zoomshare.com with "Report Abuse" as the subject line.
You must provide us with as much information as possible. Be sure to include the web address of the zoomshare user and the specific nature of the abuse you are reporting. Please include titles of images or photo album locations as necessary.
Web Editing/Tools/etcThe changes I have just made to my web site are not appearing. How come?
As you surf the Internet or make changes to your zoomshare web site, your computer saves what you view locally on your hard drive. This helps your computer load the pages you visit faster by retrieving them from your computer rather than downloading it from the web site again. This means that when you visit a web site, you may not be seeing the updated information - such as changes you just made to your zoomshare web site OR the 401 error you received when you entered an incorrect username and/or password.
Clearing your Cache & Cookies in Internet Explorer:
Clearing your Cache & Cookies in Firefox:
How do I make changes to my web site?
It is recommended that you first familiarize yourself with the editing console. Please review the online "Help" available through the editing console of your web site.
There are certain areas you can not edit on your web site through your editing console:
· The background color can not be changed, or replace color with an image.
· The appearance of the navigating buttons can not be edited but you may change your page name (visit your Site Manager).
· The header (top of the web site) can not be edited.
· The footer (bottom of the web site, if applies) can not be edited.
· The canvas color (were the text sits, if applies) can not be edited as well.
PLEASE NOTE: The zoomshare support staff is not responsible for any HTML code that is added to your site and that does not function in the desired fashion. The only thing that zoomshare support would be able to do at this point is reset your page. zoomshare is not responsible for any loss of information to your page and further recommends that if you do not have an understanding of HTML, please avoid using the HTML view area of your tools.
Can I add a counter to my web site?
Currently, zoomshare does not offer counters for your web site.
Users who upgrade their accounts to a zoomshare Plus account ($6.95/month) have access to our Site Traffic Analyzer which shows various statistics such as link count, hits, visits and unique visitors. This area will appear as a section in your tools as a new tab called "Stats", typically, within 48 hours of your upgrade order being processed.
Users with knowledge of HTML code who have found counter sources on the Internet may be able to include this code through the HTML editing area in your web page editor area of your tools.
PLEASE NOTE: The zoomshare support staff is not responsible for any HTML code that is added to your site and that does not function in the desired fashion. zoomshare is not responsible for any loss of information to your page and further recommends that if you do not have an understanding of HTML, please avoid using the HTML view area of your tools
How do I change my sites background? Can I add my own background?
At this time, zoomshare offers and supports changing your background to one of our templates (accessed through the "Site Manger" section of your tools. Please visit your "Site Manager" and click upon the "Change My Site Style" button. Here you will be able to click through the variety of template-based designs we currently offer).
For tips and tricks for your zoomshare site, try searching in our zoomshare Forums and typing the keywords "change my background." Read through the posts that discuss this subject. You will find that members in our forums share many ideas in this area.
PLEASE NOTE: The zoomshare support staff is not responsible for any HTML code that is added to your site and that does not function in the desired fashion. zoomshare is not responsible for any loss of information to your page and further recommends that if you do not have an understanding of HTML, please avoid using the HTML view area of your tools.
How do I add images?
There are two different areas where you may add images to your web site:
1) To Web Pages (such as the default "Home" page of your web site)
OR
2) To a Photo Album
To understand how each area works, please sign-in to your tools and access the Help area located in the lower right-hand area of your screen. We provide step-by-step instructions on adding images to your web site through the online Help.
Can I add games?
Currently, zoomshare does not provide games for your web site. Users with a working knowledge of HTML code who are aware of game code sources on the Internet may be able to include a game through the HTML view area in your web page editor section of your tools.
For tips and tricks for your zoomshare site, try searching in our zoomshare Forums and typing the keywords "how to add games." Read through the posts that discuss this subject. You will find that members in our forums share many ideas in this area.
PLEASE NOTE: The zoomshare support staff is not responsible for any HTML code that is added to your site and that does not function in the desired fashion. zoomshare is not responsible for any loss of information to your page and further recommends that if you do not have an understanding of HTML, please avoid using the HTML view area of your tools.
Can I add Flash? Or JavaScript?
You can place JavaScript code in the Web Page Editor by clicking the "HTML" icon in the Web Page Editor which allows you to edit the page's HTML source code. You can also upload HTML files of your own using the File Storage feature. To add a Flash file, click the "Flash" icon in the Web Page Editor, then enter the URL of a remotely-hosted .swf file or click the "Browse" icon to upload an .swf file to your zoomshare site. For more information, click here and look for "Working with Flash".
Can I upload music or video files to my web site?
Yes, you may upload music and video files (as well as other files) through the File Storage feature within your editing console.
At this time, we do not provide the tools for embedding music or video files. The File Storage feature does allow for storage of these types of files, and in the coming months, we will be adding a feature for easier embedding of audio and video clips.
Users with knowledge of HTML code who have found methods of embedding music or video files may be able to include this code through the HTML editing area in your web page editor area of your tools.
PLEASE NOTE: The zoomshare support staff is not responsible for any HTML code that is added to your site and that does not function in the desired fashion. The only thing that zoomshare support would be able to do at this point is reset your page. zoomshare is not responsible for any loss of information to your page and further recommends that if you do not have an understanding of HTML, please avoid using the HTML view area of your tools.
Any requests for resetting your page can be sent to Customer Service by filling out our Contact Us form or by sending an e-mail to customerservice@zoomshare.com. Please note, you must provide your full web site address and submit your request using the e-mail address that you provided when you first signed up for the service. Repeated requests for the same site will not be honored. Assistance is provided on a first come, first serve basis. We cannot guarantee a time frame when your request will be addressed due to heavy inquiry volume.
Can I use Microsoft FrontPage or Macromedia Dreamweaver to change my web site?
At this time we do not offer any integration with any web page editors other than the one provided to you through your tools.
Can I have FTP access?
Currently we do not allow FTP access. However, file storage is available on all zoomshare sites. You can store any file type except executable files.
The following are the differences between the free sites and the Plus sites:
Does zoomshare offer chat rooms?
Each zoomshare web site comes with the option to have a chat room. To activate your chat room, please visit the Site Manager area of your editing console. Once there, click the Activate link. Your site will now have an active chat room.
Please note, when banning users from your chat room be judicious. Once you have banned someone, we cannot "un-ban" them – including you! So be sure that you don’t ever want that person coming back to your chat room before you ban them!
When I/visitors go to my site they are asked for a username and password. Why is this happening?This is because you have activated Password Protection somewhere on your site. While you may not have done so on purpose, you will need to remove the password protection for your visitors to access your site (or Photo Album) without having to enter a username and password.
To remove the Password Protection from a page, you must visit the Site Manager area of your editing console. Simply uncheck the box(es) under the lock icon and Save your changes. This should remove the Password Protection from your page(s).
To remove Password Protection from a Photo Album you will need to Edit the Album information, uncheck the box under the lock icon and save your changes.
When will I see my zoomshare web site in the search engines?
It can be a challenge to get your web site listed within the search engines. Some search engines and directories use meta tag information (such as keywords, description and title tags) to categorize and list web sites for inclusion within their indices. However, our zoomshare sites do not allow this information to be modified so your site will not contain site specific meta tags, which can affect your ranking in search engines.
Regardless, you can still request that search engines spider your site. For instance, you can be added to the major search engine's indexing queues by going here, and providing your site's URL:
Google: http://www.google.com/addurl
Yahoo: http://submit.search.yahoo.com/free/request
It can take some time for the search engines to index your site, and we do not endorse or provide technical support for these 3rd-party applications.
How do I clear my browser's history/cache? What is accomplished by doing this?
As you surf the Internet or make changes to your zoomshare web site, your computer saves what you view locally on your hard drive. This helps your computer load the pages you visit faster by retrieving them from your computer rather than downloading it from the web site again. This means that when you visit a web site, you may not be seeing the updated information - such as changes you just made to your zoomshare web site OR the 401 error you received when you entered an incorrect username and/or password.
Clearing your Cache & Cookies in Internet Explorer:
Clearing your Cache & Cookies in Firefox:
How do I get a zoomshare store?
To upgrade your account, you must login to your editing console and click on the appropriate link on the right side of the editors home/welcome page. This will take you to an order form that you must fill out completely.
How do I cancel my zoomshare upgrade/premium service/etc.?
Please use the Contact Us form and select "Cancel Service" from the drop down menu. You may include your reason for canceling your service in the Message field. You may also cancel your service by sending an e-mail to customerservice@zoomshare.com with the subject "Cancel Service".
At this time, we do not accept cancellations over the telephone for upgraded services, under any circumstances. Please note, as stated within our Terms of Service, it may take up to 10 days for us to cancel your account.
What do I get when I order the Shop?
What do I get when I order Plus service?
I upgraded my web site but I still see the zoomshare header, what should I do?
Typically, this is because your browser is caching. You should clear your browser’s history and or cache (see the FAQ: "How do I clear my browser's history/cache?"). Then view your site again. Or try viewing your site in a different browser.
What is a Site Traffic Analyzer? Where is my Site Traffic Analyzer? Don’t I get a counter? How do I see who’s visited my web site?
Currently, zoomshare does not offer counters for inclusion to your web site.
Users who upgrade their accounts to a zoomshare Plus account ($6.95/month) have access to our Site Traffic Analyzer which shows various statistics such as link count, hits, visits and unique visitors. This area will appear as a section in your tools under a newly created button called "Stats" typically within 48 hours of your upgrade order being processed.
Plus Users: To access your Site Traffic Analyzer, please click the Stats tab within your editing console.
Users with knowledge of HTML code who have found counter sources on the Internet may be able to include this code through the HTML editing area in your web page editor area of your tools.
PLEASE NOTE: The zoomshare support staff is not responsible for any HTML code that is added to your site and that does not function in the desired fashion. zoomshare is not responsible for any loss of information to your page and further recommends that if you do not have an understanding of HTML, please avoid using the HTML view area of your tools.
How do I check my E-mail?
To check your e-mail, please login to your editing console. In the upper left hand corner click upon the tab labeled "email." This will take you directly to your e-mail inbox.
I received an e-mail error! What do I do?
Please contact us by using the Contact Us form and selecting "E-mail Issue" from the drop down menu. Be sure to include the exact error message you have received. Or, you may also send an e-mail to customerservice@zoomshare.com with the subject "E-mail Issue."
Please note, at this time, our e-mail does not allow for messages over 3MB. You will receive an error message if you attempt to open messages 3MB or over. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Can I use Outlook or have POP3 access?
At this time, we are not offering POP3 access. However, through the Preferences area of your e-mail account, you may forward your zoomshare e-mail to an external account that does allow POP3.
OtherI submitted a question to Customer Service and I have not gotten a response yet. What should I do?
If your question has been addressed within our FAQ’s you will not receive a response. Please search the FAQ’s thoroughly before submitting a question to our Customer Care team. You may want to check the online help, available to you through your editing console. And, finally, you may want to search the zoomshare Forums for assistance.
If you have submitted a question to Customer Care please be patient. We address every inquiry in the order in which they are received.
Additionally, we are in the office to assist you with your requests Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm. Please do not send multiple requests regarding the same issue.
I have a question that was not answered here and is NOT addressed within the online help, can someone help me?
Click here to access our contact form. Please remember to provide complete details about the challenge encountered:
I am having a problem; can I call someone for help?
At this time, we do not provide telephone support for the free zoomshare service.