Web hosting explained: what happens when someone visits your site
What happens between typing a web address and seeing the page, which kind of hosting your site needs, and what to sort out before you launch.
The hosting journal.
Good websites start with a little know-how. Practical guides to getting online, staying secure, and keeping things running.
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Domains
Domain names vs web hosting: what each one does and who controls it
Your domain, DNS, hosting and email are separate services. Learn what each does, how renewals and transfers work, and how to keep your name in your control.
7 min readGetting started
How to choose a hosting plan you won't outgrow or overpay for
Size a hosting plan from your real software and traffic, decode 'unlimited' fair-use terms, and compare the true cost over three years before you buy.
7 min readDomains
How to connect your domain to your website without breaking email
What A, CNAME, MX and TXT records do, why DNS changes take hours to appear, and a safe, step-by-step way to point your domain at a new host.
7 min readSecurity
SSL and HTTPS explained: what the padlock actually proves
What an SSL certificate checks, why phishing sites show padlocks too, how shorter certificate lifetimes affect you, and what to test after enabling HTTPS.
7 min readMaintenance
Website backups only count if you can restore them
What a website backup must include, where to keep copies, how much recent work you can afford to lose, and how to rehearse a restore before you need one.
7 min readPerformance
Why your website feels slow, and what to fix first
What Google's Core Web Vitals measure, the usual reasons small business sites are slow, how to test with free tools, and which fixes to make first.
7 min readSecurity
Website security basics: how small sites actually get hacked
Small sites are rarely hacked through the server. Learn where break-ins really start, a simple routine for logins, updates and backups, and what to do first.
7 min readMaintenance
Moving to a new web host: a step-by-step plan for a quiet switch
Move your website to a new host step by step: list what must move, lower your DNS TTL a week ahead, test privately, then switch and keep the old host running.
7 min readGetting started
Small business website launch checklist: what to test first
A launch-week runbook for small business websites: one secure address, contact forms that reach you, accessibility, cookies, Google listings and handover.
7 min read